Ukraine resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries early Thursday, Oct. 15, striking the Ryazan refinery as explosions and fires were reported at a military airfield in the Voronezh region.
Ryazan Region Governor Pavel Malkov confirmed a fire at the refinery, as well as a strike on a warehouse and vehicles at another industrial site in the city. No casualties were reported, and authorities were assessing the damage.
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Drone attacks also prompted officials to cancel classes at schools and kindergartens in Ryazan’s Oktyabrsky district, where the refinery is located, and parts of the Sovetsky district.
The attack came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had paused strikes on Russian oil refineries for three days at Washington’s request, but was lifting the restriction because Moscow continued targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
“The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done,” Zelensky told the Financial Times in an interview in London.
The Ryazan refinery is Russia’s third-largest by processing capacity, handling 17.1 million metric tons of crude oil annually.
Owned by Rosneft, it produces more than 2 million metric tons of gasoline and over 3 million metric tons of diesel fuel each year, making it a key supplier to Moscow.
The facility was last attacked on Sept. 6, following which it halted operations.
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Military airfield targeted in Voronezh Oblast
Also overnight, Ukrainian forces reportedly struck a military airfield in Borisoglebsk, in Russia’s Voronezh region.
Ukrainian monitoring channels Supernova+ and Exilenova+ published eyewitness footage showing the reported strike and a glow from a fire.
According to reports circulated by Ukrainian monitoring channels, the airfield was targeted with Neptune missiles, damaging six Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers. The claims have not been independently verified.
Voronezh Region Governor Alexander Gusev confirmed an attack on the region, saying air defenses had destroyed 33 drones and “several jet-powered aerial targets.”
Falling debris damaged outbuildings at several private homes and one vehicle, but caused no casualties, Gusev said. He did not mention the reported strike on the military airfield.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses had intercepted 166 drones over 14 regions overnight, including the Moscow, Ryazan, Voronezh and Rostov regions.
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