On the night of On 17 September, Ukrainian forces carried out strikes on the «Rostov-Central» military airfield and the Yaroslavl oil refinery in Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that three military transport aircraft and three helicopters had been confirmed as having been hit in Rostov. The Yaroslavl Oil Refinery was attacked as part of a joint operation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) and the Foreign Intelligence Service.
- The SBU attacked a military airfield in Rostov.
- It has been confirmed that six aircraft have been hit.
- These include an An-12 and two An-26s.
- Three helicopters have also been hit.
- The defence forces attacked the Yaroslavl oil refinery.
Six aircraft have been hit at the airfield in Rostov
According to the President of Ukraine, the Security Service carried out a precise operation at the military airfield in Rostov-on-Don.
Confirmed damage an An-12 military transport aircraft, two An-26 aircraft and three helicopters. The types of helicopters involved have not yet been specified.
Last night, Russian and monitoring sources reported a series of explosions in Rostov-on-Don. OSINT channels geolocated the fire near the military airfield «Rostov-on-Don – Central». The footage released showed a major fire, and there were also reports of repeated explosions.
The airfield is used by the Russian military air force, in particular by transport aircraft.
The Yaroslavl Oil Refinery was attacked at the same time
That same night, the Ukrainian Defence Forces carried out a joint operation against Yaroslavl Oil Refinery.
According to Zelenskyy, the following were involved in the attack The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) and the Foreign Intelligence Service.
Evidence of damage Oil refinery This was also confirmed by the Russian side. The Governor of the Yaroslavl Region Mikhail Evraev reported fires and damage at an oil refinery following a drone attack. According to him, Russian air defences allegedly shot down 65 drones over the region.
It was clear from the photographs and videos from Yaroslavl that a massive blaze and a column of smoke rising above the industrial estate. Russian monitoring channels have identified the facility as the «Slavneft-YANOS» oil refinery.
The Yaroslavl refinery is one of the largest oil refineries in Russia
«Slavneft-YANOS» is one of the major oil refineries in the Russian Federation.
Its rated power is approximately 15 million tonnes of oil per year. The plant produces petrol, diesel and aviation fuel, lubricants, bitumen, liquefied gases and other petroleum products.
The facility has already been the target of Ukrainian long-range attacks on several occasions. The SBU has previously stated that strikes against Russian fuel infrastructure are aimed at reducing the Russian Federation’s military and economic potential.
In August, following one of the previous attacks on the factory, a major fire also broke out. Reuters estimated its intensity at approximately 300,000 barrels per day.
Attacks on Russian oil refineries have intensified
The attack on the Yaroslavl oil refinery took place against the backdrop of a series of strikes against the Russian oil refining industry.
According to Reuters, as of mid-September Half of Russia’s largest diesel fuel producers have cut back or halted part of their production following drone attacks. Moscow was forced to restrict exports of certain types of fuel in order to stabilise the domestic market.
It was also reported yesterday that the Syzran and Saratov Oil Refinery following the injuries sustained.
Consequently, the night-time operation on 17 September affected the following at the same time Russian military aviation and fuel infrastructure. The full extent of the damage at both sites is still being assessed.
