Drones attacked an oil refinery in Tyumen, Russia, on 25 July. Explosions were heard in the vicinity of the industrial plant, followed by a fire. Local residents shared photographs showing several plumes of thick smoke rising above the city.
Several plumes of smoke can be seen rising above Tyumen
Following the explosions near the oil refinery, local residents noticed thick smoke rising above the industrial area. The photograph released shows at least two distinct plumes of smoke.
This may indicate that several fires have broken out, although the exact number of incidents has not yet been established. There is currently no information available regarding the extent of the fire, the equipment damaged or any potential suspension of production.
Russian emergency services have arrived at the site of the plant. At the time of publication, there were no reports of fatalities or injuries.
The Ukrainian side has not officially commented on the attack nor has it acknowledged any involvement.
What is known about the Tyumen Oil Refinery
The oil refinery is situated in an industrial area in the south-east of Tyumen, near the Antipino neighbourhood. The plant was previously known as the Antipino Oil Refinery.
The refinery has a capacity of approximately 7.5 million tonnes of crude oil per year. It is the only large-scale industrial oil refinery in Russia’s Ural Federal District.
In 2023, the company processed around 5.3 million tonnes of crude oil. The refinery produces diesel fuel, motor petrol, liquefied hydrocarbon gases and other petroleum products.
The distance from Ukraine to Tyumen is approximately two thousand kilometres. The fact that the facility is located far from the border makes this attack one of the examples of the expanding geographical scope of long-range drones.
The factory has already been attacked over the summer
This is not the first incident at Tyumen Oil Refinery in 2026. In early June, a major fire broke out at one of the oil refineries. The Russian authorities claimed at the time that it was caused by a technical fault and denied that it was the result of a drone attack.
On the afternoon of 20 June, local residents again reported seeing drones, at least two explosions and thick smoke rising from the factory. More than ten fire engines were heading towards the factory, as reported by The Moscow Times.
The latest attack took place just over a month after the previous one. It is not yet known whether the company has managed to fully restore all its operational processes following the incidents in June.
The attack took place on City Day
It is on 25 July that the main events to mark the city’s 440th anniversary will take place in Tyumen. The Russian authorities have organised concerts, festivals, exhibitions and an evening fireworks display.
The festive programme was due to take place at the city’s main venues, and a fireworks display was planned for the evening by the River Tura. There is as yet no information regarding the cancellation or postponement of the events following the attack on the oil refinery.
A fire at a major oil refinery came as a surprise during the planned celebrations. The full impact of the incident will depend on which units have been damaged and how long the refinery will be unable to operate at full capacity.
