Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes against Russian energy facilities while firmly denying Moscow’s accusation that it targeted the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power station.
According to Ukraine’s General Staff, overnight drone operations struck the Saratov Oil Refinery in southwestern Russia, triggering what officials described as a large-scale fire. The refinery, owned by Rosneft, produces diesel, gasoline, and other fuels that Kyiv says support Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.
Local Russian authorities confirmed damage to civilian infrastructure in the Saratov region, while independent Russian media reported a fire at the refinery.
Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian oil and gas infrastructure in recent months, arguing that energy revenues are critical to financing Moscow’s military campaign, which began with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Additional drone strikes reportedly targeted a fuel depot in Russia’s Rostov Region, near the border with occupied eastern Ukraine. Regional officials said the attack caused a major fire and forced nearby residents to evacuate.
Kyiv also claimed responsibility for a strike on the Lazarevo oil pumping station in Russia’s Kirov Region, a facility involved in transporting Siberian oil toward Belarus. Local authorities acknowledged that drones hit a facility in the region but did not disclose further details.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated over reports of an incident at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, alleged that a Ukrainian drone struck a turbine hall at one of the plant’s power units, causing an explosion and damage to a building wall.
Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev described the incident as a deliberate attack but stated that no critical equipment was damaged.
Ukraine’s military categorically rejected the accusation, calling it a propaganda effort. Ukrainian officials stated that their forces neither targeted nor struck the facility and emphasized their adherence to international humanitarian law regarding nuclear installations.
The dispute prompted concern from Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who expressed serious concern following reports of the incident.
Ukraine’s nuclear regulatory agency said any alleged damage should be independently verified by IAEA inspectors stationed at the plant as part of the agency’s ongoing monitoring mission.
The Zaporizhzhia facility has remained a major point of concern throughout the war. Captured by Russian forces during the early stages of the invasion, the plant sits near active front lines and has repeatedly been the subject of accusations from both Moscow and Kyiv, each blaming the other for attacks that could risk a nuclear accident.
Elsewhere, Ukraine’s air force reported shooting down 212 of the 299 drones launched by Russia overnight. Officials said 14 drones reached their intended targets, while debris from intercepted drones fell across several locations.
Russian drone attacks also struck the city of Dnipro and an oil refinery in Ukraine’s Rivne Region, causing fires. Regional authorities reported no injuries at the refinery, and emergency crews were deployed to contain the damage.
