Ukraine has launched a second drone attack on one of Russia's largest petrochemical complexes, Salavat, causing a major distillation unit to catch fire.
Ukraine has struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat petrochemical complex in the southern Bashkortostan region of Russia last night for the second time in under a week. The attack, confirmed by local governor Radiy Khabirov, reportedly caused a major crude distillation unit (CDU-6) to catch fire, according to media reports. This unit is a critical component of the facility, responsible for processing approximately 6 million tons of oil and gas condensate annually, which accounts for about 60% of the plant's total production.
The latest strike underscores Ukraine's methodical strategy to target Russia's vital energy and defense infrastructure, with more than 10 refineries and export terminals hit over the past two months. Some of these strikes have occurred more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the Ukrainian border. The Salavat complex itself is located approximately 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the front line.
According to a confirmation from Ukraine's General Staff, the strike on September 24 specifically targeted the ELOU-AVT-6 primary oil refining unit. The Salavat plant is one of Russia’s largest oil refining and petrochemical facilities, producing a wide range of products including gasoline, diesel, and liquid rocket fuel. There was a similar strike last week that hit another main unit of the same petrochemical complex, CDU-4.
The cumulative effect of these attacks is becoming increasingly apparent across the Russian economy. Russian refining capacity has reportedly dropped by as much as 20% on certain days, leading to falling exports and domestic fuel shortages. The disruptions have been so severe that Russia has been forced to consider oil production cuts and limit fuel exports to prevent exacerbating the shortages at home.
Beyond the Salavat complex, the Ukrainian General Staff has also confirmed a series of other successful strikes, painting a picture of a broad, multi-pronged campaign. These include attacks on the Kuzmichi-1 and Zenzevatka oil pumping stations, which are crucial to Russia’s crude oil transport network.
The long-range strike campaign has also reached other significant targets, such as the Astrakhan gas processing plant in southern Russia, which was hit on September 22. This facility is a major producer of sulfur, a component used in explosives.
As peace talks remain at a standstill, Ukraine has intensified its attacks, arguing that Russian oil refineries, petrochemical facilities, and military production sites are legitimate military targets as they directly fund and sustain Moscow's war machine.
