Drone Attacks Ignite Oil Facility in Russia as Moscow Pounds Ukraine Overnight

Drones attacked the Russian city of Slavyansk-na-Kubani early Monday morning, Jan. 26, setting an oil refinery on fire and striking another enterprise.

Earlier, monitoring Telegram channels reported that Russia’s Krasnodar Territory was under attack by unidentified drones, including the Slavyansk-na-Kubani oil refinery.

Later in the morning, the Operational Headquarters of the Krasnodar Territory confirmed strikes on two industrial facilities, where fires broke out.

“Fragments of UAVs fell on the territory of two enterprises. Fires occurred at the facilities and are being extinguished by emergency services,” the headquarters said.

Eyewitnesses told the Shot Telegram channel that drones were flying in from the direction of the Sea of Azov, with five to seven powerful explosions heard over the city.

Regional authorities did not specify which enterprises were targeted. However, Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+ reported that one of the storage tanks at the Slavyansk oil refinery caught fire.

The refinery was previously attacked on Dec. 17, 2025, when technological equipment and a pipeline were damaged by fire. The facility belongs to Slavyansk EKO and has a design capacity of 5.2 million tons per year, though recent output has reached about 4.1 million tons.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that overnight air defenses “intercepted and destroyed” 34 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over the Krasnodar Territory.

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Ukraine’s General Staff later confirmed the destruction of a Russian oil refinery.

“Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine struck the infrastructure of the Slavyansk Eco oil refinery (Slovyansk-na-Kubani, Krasnodar Territory, Russia). This facility is part of the energy rear of the Russian Federation and is involved in supporting the aggressor’s armed forces,” the statement on Telegram said.

According to the General Staff, strike UAVs were recorded hitting the refinery’s territory, with explosions observed in the target area. 

Preliminary information indicates that elements of the primary oil refining unit were damaged. The extent of the damage is still being clarified.

In addition, warehouses used for the logistical support of Russian troops in the occupied territories of Donetsk (Donetsk city) and Zaporizhzhia (Solodkovodne village) regions were hit.

Strikes were also carried out on a UAV control point near occupied Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region, as well as on concentrations of Russian manpower in the areas of occupied Yunakivka (Sumy region) and Kolisnykivka (Kharkiv region).

“The number of killed and wounded occupiers is being determined,” the report added.

Meanwhile, Russian forces attacked Vilnyansk in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region early Monday, causing fires and damaging residential buildings.

Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration buildings were damaged, including shattered windows and facades. No casualties were reported.

According to Zaporizhzhia region Governor Ivan Fedorov, Russian troops also struck twice overnight. In one attack, a fire broke out at the impact site. In another, four strikes damaged private houses, one of which caught fire before being extinguished by rescuers. No injuries were initially reported.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 138 drones of various types overnight from six directions, including Shahed and Gerbera UAVs, about 90 of them Shaheds.

As of 8 a.m., Ukrainian air defenses had shot down or suppressed 110 drones in the north and east of the country. Twenty-one UAVs struck 11 locations, while debris from downed drones fell in one area.