Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Russian oil refinery, Ozon warehouse in Saratov

On September 11, Ukrainian drones reportedly targeted two key infrastructures in the Russian city of Saratov, striking an oil refinery and a logistics hub owned by e-commerce giant Ozon. The attack was initially reported by Russian Telegram media channels, with independent outlet ASTRA confirming through OSINT analysis that a fire had erupted at the Rosneft-owned refinery.

Videos on social media suggested both drones and Russian air defenses were active in the area. The Saratov Oil Refinery, owned by Rosneft, has faced multiple strikes amid Ukraine's prolonged drone campaign against Russia's energy infrastructure. The facility processes approximately 4.8 million metric tons of crude oil annually. Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin alerted authorities via Telegram shortly after the refinery strike.

Following the refinery attack, a logistics hub belonging to Ozon was also reported ablaze. While Exilenova+ published video footage of employees evacuating the facility after explosions, Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the incident. Saratov, situated around 285 miles east of the Ukrainian border, has been a frequent target of Ukrainian drone strikes, contributing to fuel shortages and reducing Russian refinery production.

In August, Russian refinery throughput dropped to about 3.8 million barrels per day, compared to around 5 million barrels per day the previous year, according to the Wall Street Journal. Ukraine aims to disrupt fuel supplies and diminish the revenue that sustains Moscow's war effort through its targeted attacks.