Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country’s forces have carried out another series of long-range attacks against targets in Russia, including an oil refinery and facilities connected to Moscow’s drone operations.
The strikes included the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region, a drone production facility in Taganrog and a site used for preparing and launching drones in the Oryol region, according to Ukrainian officials. Zelenskyy also reported successful strikes against unspecified targets in the Black Sea.
Syzran Oil Refinery Among Major Targets
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that the Syzran refinery was struck overnight on September 15, reporting a direct hit and a subsequent fire at the facility.
According to the Ukrainian military, the AVT-6 primary refining unit and the refinery’s tank farm were among the areas hit. The plant, which is associated with Russian state-controlled oil producer Rosneft, has an annual crude-processing capacity of approximately 8.9 million metric tons.
The refinery produces several petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, making it part of Russia’s significant energy-processing infrastructure.
Russian Governor Reports More Than 40 Drones Downed
Samara regional Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said Russian defenses intercepted more than 40 Ukrainian drones over the region.
He reported damage at an industrial facility as well as broken windows at several residential buildings, although he did not publicly identify the industrial site involved.
Ukraine has increasingly used long-range drones to attack Russian energy and military infrastructure, arguing that such facilities contribute to Moscow’s ability to sustain its war.
Drone Production Facility Targeted in Taganrog
Another operation targeted Taganrog in Russia’s Rostov region, where Ukraine says its forces struck the premises of Atlant Aero.
Ukraine’s General Staff identified the company as a manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles and drone components.
According to the Ukrainian account, Atlant Aero produces Molniya strike and reconnaissance drones and components used in Russia’s Orion unmanned aircraft. Explosions and a fire were reported following the attack.
Oryol Drone Launch Site Also Hit
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces simultaneously targeted a drone preparation and launch site in Russia’s Oryol region.
He provided few additional details about the installation or the extent of the damage.
The president nevertheless presented the operations in Syzran, Taganrog and Oryol as part of Ukraine’s response to continuing Russian attacks against Ukrainian energy facilities, logistics networks and other critical infrastructure.
Zelenskyy Praises Ukraine’s ‘Long-Range Sanctions’
Zelenskyy thanked Ukrainian personnel involved in the operations and again used the phrase “long-range sanctions” to describe his country’s ability to damage strategically important Russian targets with domestically controlled military capabilities.
He argued that the attacks demonstrate that Moscow faces tangible consequences for strikes against Ukraine.
Ukraine maintains that its long-range campaign is intended to reduce Russia’s capacity to finance, supply and conduct military operations. Russia, meanwhile, has condemned Ukrainian strikes on its territory, particularly attacks affecting energy infrastructure.
Black Sea Targets Hit, Zelenskyy Says
The Ukrainian president also announced that targets had been struck in the Black Sea but did not identify them or provide details about the weapons used.
Independent confirmation of the results of all the reported strikes was not immediately available. The accounts concerning specific targets and damage in Taganrog, Syzran and Oryol largely came from Ukrainian authorities, while Russian officials acknowledged drone activity and some damage in affected regions.
United States Imposes New Sanctions on Russia’s VTB Bank
Alongside the military developments, Zelenskyy welcomed a new US sanctions decision targeting Russia’s VTB Bank over its dealings with Iran.
The US Treasury announced on September 14 that its Office of Foreign Assets Control had designated VTB under Iran-related sanctions authorities, accusing the Russian financial institution of participating in Iranian sanctions-evasion activities.
VTB was already subject to extensive US sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The latest designation adds another layer of restrictions tied specifically to its alleged financial cooperation with Tehran.
US Treasury Accuses VTB of Building Financial Links With Iran
According to the Treasury Department, VTB established offices in Iran and developed correspondent relationships with sanctioned Iranian financial institutions as Moscow and Tehran expanded banking and trade cooperation.
The Treasury said the measures were imposed under “Operation Economic Outcast,” a US campaign designed to disrupt financial channels that Washington says enable Iran to circumvent sanctions.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington intends to continue identifying and isolating institutions that provide financial, technological or material support to the Iranian government.
Zelenskyy Links Financial Pressure to Peace Efforts
Zelenskyy praised the US action against VTB, describing the bank as a systemically important Russian institution involved in financial arrangements supporting both Russia’s war effort and its relationship with Iran.
He argued that financial networks helping sustain the conflict should be dismantled and thanked Washington for taking additional action.
The Ukrainian president presented military pressure and international economic restrictions as complementary tools for changing Moscow’s calculations.
Kyiv Calls for Continued Pressure as War Persists
Zelenskyy concluded by arguing that ending the war ultimately requires diplomatic action but that international pressure on Russia must help create the conditions for negotiations.
His comments come as attacks on energy infrastructure continue on both sides. Reuters reported that Russia and Ukraine were still striking each other’s energy-related targets despite renewed international efforts to curb such attacks.
For Kyiv, the latest strikes and Washington’s additional measures against VTB represent two different forms of pressure: Ukrainian military operations against infrastructure it considers connected to Russia’s war effort, and international financial restrictions aimed at reducing Moscow’s ability to operate through global economic networks.
