Russia’s Ryazan Refinery, Critical for Aviation Fuel, Targeted by Drones for Third Time This Year

For the third time this year, the Ryazan oil refinery, one of Russia’s five largest, with an annual processing capacity of 17.1 million tons, has been targeted by a drone attack.

This was reported on February 24 by Andrii Kovalenko, Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation and Russian media, including ASTRA.

“The refinery produces gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, fuel oil, and petrochemicals,” Kovalenko wrote. “Aviation fuel plays a particularly crucial role, as it is essential for Russia’s frontline aircraft and long-range strategic bombers that carry out strikes on Ukraine.”

Ryazan region governor Pavel Malkov confirmed a fire at an industrial facility in the region. He claimed that air defense systems had downed two UAVs over the area and that the fire was allegedly caused by falling debris from the intercepted drones.

Following a drone strike on February 17, Russia’s largest oil pumping station, part of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium used by Kazakhstan to export oil to Europe and the US, was taken out of operation.