A significant Ukrainian drone and missile attack targeted the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s southern Rostov region overnight, causing a fire that burned for over six hours, officials from both countries confirmed on Thursday, December 19.

Ukraine’s General Staff claimed responsibility for the strike, describing the refinery as a facility “used to meet the needs of the Russian armed forces.” This attack is part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to target Russian energy infrastructure in retaliation for Moscow’s ongoing assaults on Ukraine’s electricity grid.

“A fire has been confirmed in the area of the facility,” Ukraine’s military statement read.

Russian authorities also acknowledged the incident. Rostov Governor Yuri Slyusar reported that the fire was caused by “a massive attack by the enemy, who used more than three dozen drones and three missiles.”

The refinery, located just 10 kilometers (six miles) from the Ukrainian border but around 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the nearest Ukrainian military positions, sustained substantial damage, according to a source in Ukraine’s SBU security service.

The source, who spoke anonymously to AFP, provided details of the coordinated operation: “SBU drones first overloaded the Russian air defences protecting the plant, creating a window of opportunity for Ukrainian missiles, which were then launched by the SBU and Navy in the next stage.”

Images circulating on Russian social media showed a massive fire engulfing the site, with thick grey smoke rising into the sky. While AFP could not independently verify the images, the posts underscore the extent of the damage.

Russia’s defence ministry reported that Ukraine launched a total of 84 drones overnight, 36 of which were intercepted over the Rostov region. Other drones were destroyed in the Bryansk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Tambov, and Krasnodar regions.

This escalation comes amid intensifying bombardments on both sides. Ukraine has frequently targeted Russian energy facilities throughout the nearly three-year conflict, marking a shift in strategy to strike critical infrastructure deep within Russian territory.

As the conflict persists, these strikes and counter-strikes highlight the evolving tactics of both nations, with civilian and military infrastructure increasingly becoming the focal point of the ongoing war.