Drone hits 'industrial site' near Moscow, Kyiv claims refinery strike

Overnight drone barrage

Nizhny Novgorod regional governor Gleb Nikitin said on Sunday that a massive overnight drone attack had damaged an industrial facility east of Moscow, as Ukrainian sources claimed they had struck one of Russia's largest oil refineries. "A massive drone attack is under way in the Nizhny Novgorod region overnight and this morning, with more than a hundred drones destroyed," Nikitin said in a statement, adding that air defense units had intercepted the majority of incoming unmanned aerial vehicles.

The governor confirmed that the Kstovo district had sustained significant damage in the barrage. "According to preliminary information, there are no casualties. An industrial enterprise in the Kstovo district sustained significant damage," he said, declining to specify the nature of the facility's operations.

Kyiv claims refinery strike

Ukrainian media outlets reported that the attack had targeted the Kstovo oil refinery, describing the facility as "one of Russia's largest oil refineries, producing fuel and lubricants." The discrepancy in descriptions reflects the ongoing information battle surrounding strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, with Moscow typically downplaying the military significance of targeted sites while Kyiv emphasizes their strategic value.

Resumption of energy attacks

Moscow announced on Friday that Ukraine had resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries following a brief pause in operations, with Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak telling state television that Kyiv's forces had hit three refineries and one gas-chemical complex in recent days. Kyiv has repeatedly targeted Russian oil and gas sites in retaliation for Moscow's sustained attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the offensive began in February 2022.

US President Donald Trump had pressured Ukrainian officials for weeks to halt such strikes, blaming the attacks for driving up global diesel prices. The Kstovo facility lies approximately 400 kilometers east of Moscow and represents a critical node in Russia's petroleum processing network.