Another Ukrainian drone attack struck an oil refinery about 2,000 kilometers deep inside Russia, in the Komi Republic, Russian media reported on Aug. 10, citing local residents and Telegram reports.
Neither Ukraine nor Russia has officially confirmed the reported drone attack on the refinery. If confirmed, the attack would mark Ukraine's first drone strike in Russia's Komi Republic.
Ukrainian drones reportedly targeted the town of Ukhta, according to local Telegram channels. The attack was aimed at a refinery, which authorities evacuated. Another independent Russian media, Novaya Gazeta, also said that flights at the airport were temporarily suspended.
Rostislav Goldshteyn, the acting head of the Komi Republic, said on social media that workers at enterprises in the drones' flight zone were evacuated and that there were no casualties. He did not provide details on which enterprises were evacuated and did not mention an oil refinery in his post.
The Russian oil giant Lukoil operates a refinery in Ukhta. The plant specializes in processing blended crudes from oilfields in the Komi Republic, shipped to the facility via the Usa-Ukhta pipeline.
Neither Meduza nor Novaya Gazeta specified the exact refinery that was allegedly hit, and the scale of the damage is unclear. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the reports.
In June 2024, a large-scale fire was reported at the Lukoil refinery in Ukhta, though Russian officials said it was caused by "non-compliance with safety regulations" and not by a Ukrainian drone attack.
The alleged strike on the Ukhta refinery comes shortly after reports that Ukrainian drones hit an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov Oblast on Aug. 10, causing explosions and a large fire.
Ukraine has deployed homemade long-range drones to hit oil depots, military sites, and airfields deep inside Russia, in an attempt to slowly grind down Russia's war machine.
Western nations have not lifted the ban on Ukraine using the long-range weapons they donated to launch deep strikes inside Russia, citing potential repercussions.
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