Full Breakdown
Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Refineries Before Victory Day
5/9/2026, 2:16:02 AM
Core Event
On 5 May 2026 Ukrainian drones set fire at the Kirishi refinery in Leningrad Oblast, damaging three of four distillation units. Two days later drones hit the Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez refinery and a Transneft pumping station in Perm, igniting a primary unit and a reservoir tank. The same night the Yaroslavl refinery, co-owned by Rosneft and Gazprom Neft, was struck, with a fire reported.
Background & Context
Since early 2026 Kyiv has expanded a long-range strike campaign targeting Russian oil processing, transport and export assets. The SBU says the aim is to disrupt fuel for the Russian military, cut war-financing revenue and force Moscow to divert repair resources. The attacks intensified as Russia prepared its May 9 Victory Day parade, prompting warnings of retaliation.
Data & Statistics
Kirishi, Permnefteorgsintez and Yaroslavl together process about 820 000 bpd (?6 % of Russia’s capacity). Daily runs fell to 4.69 million bpd in April, the lowest since 2009. Ukrainian drone launches reached 7 000 in March, and 21 oil-related strikes were recorded in April, contributing to a 17 % drop in Russian oil exports.
Why It Matters / Impact
Reduced refinery output limits gasoline, diesel and jet-fuel for Russian forces and forces Moscow to allocate engineering and financial resources to repairs. The strikes also pressured the Kremlin to scale back the military component of the Victory Day parade, indicating a direct strategic effect on propaganda.
Official Statements & Responses
The SBU said its Alpha unit hit the Perm refinery and pumping station to disrupt fuel supplies and force Moscow to divert resources. President Zelensky highlighted the use of long-range Flamingo missiles in the Kirishi strike. Leningrad Oblast Governor Drozdenko called the Kirishi refinery the main target and reported no casualties. Perm Governor Makhonin confirmed an industrial site was struck but said emergency services contained the fire. The Russian Ministry of Defence announced a Victory Day cease-fire for 8–9 May.
Criticism & Opposition
Russian milbloggers criticised the Kremlin for prioritising parade “vanity” over air-defence allocation, arguing that dispersing assets to protect an oil network weakens layered defence. Analysts described the MoD’s claim of a planned Ukrainian strike on the parade as a mischaracterisation of Zelensky’s remarks.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The enemy’s main target was the (Kirishinefteorgsintez) oil refinery,” — Alexander Drozdenko, Governor of Leningrad Oblast
- “This refinery is one of the largest oil refining plants in Russia, supplying fuel both to the civilian sector and to the needs of the Russian army,” — Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)
- “Ukrainian 'Flamingos' covered a distance of more than 1,500 kilometers.” — Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine
- “There are so many potential targets that Russia needs to try and defend,” — Justin Bronk, Senior Research Fellow, RUSI
What’s Next
The European Commission announced an EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance to coordinate counter-drone capabilities. Ukraine signals intent to maintain deep-strike operations through May, while Russia is expected to further redistribute air-defence assets across its oil network.
