Ukrainian military forces conducted strikes on an oil refinery in the Yaroslavl region of Russia and a drone storage facility in Rostov-on-Don during the night of May 8, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The attack on the Yaroslavl refinery reportedly resulted in a fire on the premises. The refinery is described as a strategically significant facility, processing approximately 15 million tons of oil annually. Its products, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, are critical for the logistics of the Russian military.
In addition to the refinery, Ukrainian forces targeted the drone storage site in Rostov-on-Don, which also experienced a fire. The General Staff reported that other targets included the Luhansk oil depot, as well as fuel and lubricant storage facilities in the regions of Petropavlivka and Novomykilsk in the temporarily occupied Luhansk area. A repair unit of the Russian military was struck in Rovenky, along with communication nodes in the areas of Zelene Pole, Novomykhailivka, and Kinsky Rozdory in Zaporizhzhia. Additionally, a Russian Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile system was hit near Mykhailivka in Zaporizhzhia, along with a radar station identified as Kasta-2E in the occupied Crimea region.
The Russian authorities have not confirmed the damage to these sites. Multiple regions in Russia, including Yaroslavl, Rostov, Perm Krai, Chechnya, and the occupied Crimea, faced a series of drone attacks from Ukraine on the night of May 8. Ukrainian officials stated that these actions were a response to Russian military operations and noted that Russian forces were not adhering to a ceasefire they had previously announced.
Earlier reports indicated that video footage geolocated by the Telegram channel Astra showed a fire at the Slavneft-YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl following the attack.
Yaroslavl’s governor, Mikhail Evraev, claimed that air defense and electronic warfare systems intercepted the drone attack, although he did not report any damage.
This refinery has been targeted multiple times in the past by Ukrainian drones. Since the onset of the full-scale invasion by Russia, various facilities within Russian territory have been subjected to airstrikes, with oil refineries frequently being targeted. Attacks have also been directed at Russian installations in occupied Ukrainian territories.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has confirmed most of these attacks, stating that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are systematically implementing measures aimed at reducing the combat potential of Russian occupation forces and compelling Russia to cease its armed aggression against Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces have targeted key military and logistical sites in Russia, including an oil refinery and drone storage facilities. The strikes reflect ongoing military operations as Ukraine responds to Russian actions.