Ukrainian forces conducted an overnight drone attack on Lukoil's Permnefteorgsintez crude processing facility located in the Perm region of Russia, striking a target more than 1,600 kilometers from the Ukraine-Russia border. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the strike resulted in a large fire at the industrial complex. Zelenskyy stated on social media that the deep strike was accompanied by an attack on the Marinovka military air base in the Volgograd region, describing these operations as part of Ukraine's long-range campaign to bring war consequences back to Russian territory.
Dmitry Makhonin, governor of the Perm region, confirmed on Telegram that Russian forces shot down 16 drones over the region but acknowledged that one industrial facility was damaged. No injuries were reported at the facility, though the official did not specify which installation was hit. Ukrainian media sources identified the target as the Lukoil refinery where the fire ignited following the successful strike.
This attack represents the latest in a series of Ukrainian drone operations targeting Russian oil processing and exporting infrastructure. The strike on the Perm refinery occurred hours after Ukraine hit a Rosneft-owned facility in Russia's Bashkortostan region earlier in the week. For several months, Ukraine has been conducting nearly daily drone attacks on Russian refineries as part of a strategic campaign designed to force negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin while simultaneously degrading Russia's domestic fuel supply and logistics to the front lines.
Russia has been confronting significant gasoline and diesel shortages for over three months during the peak demand season. Ukraine's drone campaign has forced many large Russian processing facilities offline during spring and summer months, contributing to widespread fuel supply constraints affecting both military operations and civilian gas stations across Russian territory. Source: Oilprice.com, reporting by Charles Kennedy, August 21, 2026
Source: oilprice.com