Drones target Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery again, sparking large-scale fire

That’s according to the BBC Russian Service, Ukrinform reports.

The report notes, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, that air defense systems intercepted 15 Ukrainian drones. Among these, eight were destroyed over the Ryazan region, six over Kursk, and one over Belgorod.

Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov confirmed the drone strike, and Russian Telegram channels, including ASTRA, reported that the refinery was likely on fire. Geolocated footage from ASTRA, shared across local media and chat rooms, shows a fire near the refinery. However, as a similar attack occurred on January 24, the exact date of the footage remains unverified.

The Telegram channel VChK-OGPU added that the refinery had been cordoned off, with numerous fire engines dispatched to the site.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, confirmed the strike, stating on Telegram: “The Ryazan refinery is being done away with. This is fuel for military equipment and more.”

The attack prompted temporary restrictions on flights at Izhevsk and Kazan airports, with operations suspended for safety reasons during the drone activity. Kazan airport reopened at 07:00 local time, followed by Izhevsk half an hour later.

Previously, on January 24, Russia reported a drone attack affecting 11 regions, including the capital and occupied Crimea. That strike also targeted the Ryazan refinery, an event confirmed by Ukraine’s SBU State Security Service and Special Operations Forces.