Loud explosions were heard in Russia’s Ryazan early on Thursday, Nov. 20, amid what appears to be a second drone attack on the city’s oil refinery in the past seven days.
Russian media reported that a “drone danger” alert was issued around midnight. After 2 a.m., local Telegram channels began posting about multiple explosions, and residents reported seeing unidentified drones over the city and surrounding areas.
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A drone alert was also issued for Diaghilev airfield.
The pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ published videos showing blasts in the city, claiming: “Ryazan, an attack is underway, probably on a local refinery. Locals counted more than 10 explosions.”
The Ryazan Oil Refinery produces gasoline, diesel, liquefied gas, and roughly 840,000 tons of TS-1 aviation kerosene per year, used by Russia’s Aerospace Forces.
The facility was also attacked on Nov. 15, when Ukraine’s General Staff reported precision strikes on key military and infrastructure sites in Russia, including the refinery, causing large explosions and a major fire.
At 5.50 a.m., regional governor Pavel Malkov shared on Telegram that air defenses had destroyed several UAVs over the Ryazan region.
“Due to falling debris, a fire broke out on the territory of one enterprise,” he wrote, without identifying the site.
He said debris fell in several districts but reported no casualties and no serious damage to civilian infrastructure.
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Exilenova+ also reported drone strikes on substations in the Kursk region’s Glushkov, Rylsky, and Korenovsky districts, sharing photos of fires.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 65 Ukrainian aircraft-type drones overnight, including 16 over the Ryazan region. Ukraine has not commented.
According to Russian media, this marks the second strike on the refinery in a week, the second in a month, and the third since early autumn.
The plant was previously hit on Nov. 15, Oct. 23, Sept. 5, and Aug. 2 – when Ukrainian forces began systematically targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
The Ryazan refinery, owned by Rosneft, processed 13.1 million tons of crude in 2024 and accounts for 5% of Russia’s total refining capacity. It supplies fuel to the Moscow region.
Reuters sources said that after the Nov. 15 strike, the refinery halted operations due to the shutdown of its main refining unit, responsible for 48% of capacity. It had already been operating at reduced output.
It became the fifth Russian refinery to stop production in November due to drone attacks.
Rosneft’s Tuapse refinery shut on Nov. 3, Lukoil’s Volgograd refinery on Nov. 6, Orskneftorgsintez in Orenburg on Nov. 10, and Rosneft’s Saratov refinery on Nov. 11.
Reuters also reported that, according to classified industry statistics, Russia’s overall refining output fell by 6% between August and October following repeated drone strikes. The Kremlin classified gasoline production data in 2024, citing the risk of “market speculation.”