On the night of 1 August, long-range drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine struck infrastructure at three major oil refineries in Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan. The SBU confirmed the attack on «Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim», «Bashneft-Novoyl» and «Bashneft-UNPZ». A major fire broke out on the premises of «Ufaneftekhim», and the distance from Ukraine to the facilities is approximately 1,600 kilometres.
Briefly about the main points
- The SBU has confirmed that three Bashneft oil refineries in Ufa have been hit.
- A major fire broke out on the premises of «Ufaneftekhim» following the attack.
- The design capacity of the Ufa complex is 23.5 million tonnes per year.
- The Russian authorities have stated that the smoke was caused by debris from a drone.
- Four Russian radar stations in the Krasnodar Region have also been hit.
Fire above the industrial area of Ufa
The SBU reported that the infrastructure of «Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim», «Bashneft-Novoyl» and «Bashneft-UNPZ» had been damaged. These companies are part of «Bashneft», a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned corporation «Rosneft».
Following the strike, a fire broke out at «Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim». Photos and videos taken by local residents show at least two plumes of thick black smoke rising above the city’s industrial area. Residents also reported explosions and the sighting of drones. Due to the aerial threat, operations at Ufa Airport were temporarily restricted.
Head of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov confirmed the attack, whilst stating that Russian air defences had allegedly shot down the drones. According to him, the smoke was caused by debris from one of the drones falling within the industrial zone. The President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the operation and stated that Ukraine is gradually implementing the «long-range sanctions»against targets that enable Russia to wage war.".
One of Russia’s largest processing centres
The three sites in Ufa form a technologically integrated oil refining complex. Its total design capacity is 23.5 million tonnes of crude oil per year, whilst Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim itself is capable of refining up to 8.2 million tonnes of crude annually.
These companies produce petrol, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, lubricants, liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum coke and other petroleum products. Some of these products are used by Russian troops.
The extent of the attack’s impact will depend on which pieces of equipment have been damaged. Due to the production cooperation between the three plants, a disruption at one site could affect the entire Ufa complex. A previous attack on Ufa’s oil refining facilities was recorded on 25 June.
A strike against aerial surveillance assets
As part of the same operation, the SBU reported that three «Podlyot-K1» radar stations and one «Kasti-2E2» radar station had been destroyed in the Krasnodar Krai. These systems are designed to detect and track aerial targets, particularly at low altitudes.
The combination of strikes on fuel infrastructure and radar installations points to the comprehensive nature of the operation. A second attack on Ufa, five weeks after the previous one, also suggests that this industrial cluster, situated far from Ukraine, remains a target for Ukrainian long-range operations. This may force Russia to allocate additional air defence and industrial facility protection resources far from the front line.
