Drones Hit Russia Where It Hurts—Strategic Saratov Refinery in Flames

Ukrainian long-range drones hit one of Russia’s largest oil refineries overnight on November 11, igniting a fire at the Rosneft-owned Saratov refinery, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation on November 11.

“The Saratov refinery caught fire after a drone attack,” Kovalenko wrote.

Videos shared by local residents and reposted by the Telegram channel Exilenova+ showed flames rising over the sprawling industrial complex in the city’s Zavodskoy district.

Residents of Saratov reported hearing several explosions late at night before officials declared an “air threat” due to an ongoing drone attack.

Russian regional governor Roman Busargin confirmed that civilian infrastructure had been damaged in the strike but offered no additional details.

The Saratov refinery is one of Russia’s most important oil-processing and fuel-production facilities. Operated by Rosneft, it produces gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, industrial bitumen, vacuum gas oil, and technical sulfur.

According to industry data, the plant processed around 5.8 million tons of crude oil in 2024, accounting for roughly 2.2% of Russia’s total refining capacity. Its location in the Volga region makes it a key link in Russia’s domestic fuel supply chain.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) chief Vasyl Malyuk reported that it has carried out more than 160 successful strikes on Russian oil production facilities since the start of 2025.

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