Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian forces carried out a coordinated series of overnight strikes against strategic targets inside Russia, including a major oil refinery in Yaroslavl and a military airfield in Rostov-on-Don.
Zelenskyy said the operations involved several branches of Ukraine’s security and intelligence apparatus and were part of Kyiv’s continuing effort to bring the consequences of the war onto Russian territory.
The Ukrainian leader said his country would continue responding to Russian attacks and argued that Moscow must ultimately choose a path toward peace.
Multiple Ukrainian Agencies Took Part in Refinery Operation
According to Zelenskyy, the strike against the Yaroslavl oil refinery was conducted jointly by the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence and the Foreign Intelligence Service.
Ukraine’s General Staff later identified the target as the Slavneft-YANOS refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region.
Ukrainian officials said the facility was hit and that a fire broke out around a primary oil-distillation unit. The refinery is one of Russia’s major fuel-processing facilities, with annual capacity of roughly 15 million tonnes of crude oil.
Russian regional authorities also acknowledged damage at the refinery and reported a fire following the drone attack, while saying no casualties had been recorded.
Ukraine Claims Six Aircraft Damaged at Rostov Airfield
Zelenskyy also said the Security Service of Ukraine carried out a separate strike against the Rostov-Central military airfield in Rostov-on-Don.
According to the Ukrainian president, one An-12 transport aircraft, two An-26 transport planes and three helicopters were damaged.
The Security Service of Ukraine said long-range drones operated by its Alpha Special Operations Centre targeted aircraft and helicopters parked at the airfield, triggering a large fire and secondary explosions.
Ukraine has described the damage to the six aircraft as confirmed, although independent verification of the full extent of the losses was not immediately available.
Russian Authorities Report Massive Drone Attack on Rostov
Russian authorities acknowledged that Rostov-on-Don came under what they described as a large-scale drone attack during the night.
Rostov Governor Yurii Slyusar said debris from intercepted drones damaged a transformer substation and caused temporary power outages across several districts. He reported no casualties and said a fire on the ground was extinguished.
His public statement did not confirm Ukraine’s claims regarding damage to military aircraft at the airfield.
Zelenskyy Hints at Additional Black Sea Operations
Zelenskyy also referred to what he described as “good results” in the Black Sea but did not provide details about the nature of those operations or the targets involved.
The Ukrainian president offered no further information about whether the activity involved naval drones, aircraft, missiles or other military systems.
His remarks suggest that Ukrainian forces were active across several operational areas during the same period, extending beyond the strikes in Yaroslavl and Rostov.
Kyiv Expands Long-Range Campaign Against Russian Infrastructure
Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range drones to strike oil refineries, military airfields and other infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.
Kyiv says such facilities support Moscow’s military operations and that targeting them reduces Russia’s ability to finance and sustain its campaign against Ukraine.
The Yaroslavl refinery has reportedly been struck repeatedly during 2026, reflecting Ukraine’s broader strategy of targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
Russia, meanwhile, has continued carrying out large missile and drone attacks across Ukraine. A fresh wave of Russian strikes on September 17 hit Kyiv and several other regions, injuring civilians and damaging infrastructure, according to Ukrainian officials.
Zelenskyy Says Strikes Are Response to Russian Attacks
Zelenskyy framed the latest operations as direct retaliation for Russia’s continuing attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
He thanked Ukrainian forces involved in the missions and said their operations were ensuring that the effects of the war were increasingly being felt inside Russia.
The president argued that Kyiv would continue responding to what it describes as Russian aggression until Moscow changes course.
“Russia must choose peace,” Zelenskyy said, presenting the overnight strikes as part of Ukraine’s effort to increase military and economic pressure on the Kremlin while the war continues.
