Drone attack in Yaroslavl: fire at one of Russia's largest refineries
On the night of 12 December, the Russian city of Yaroslavl, more than 700 kilometres from the border with Ukraine, came under a massive drone attack. At least seven explosions were heard in the city, after which a bright firework rose over the industrial zone. According to OSINT analysts, the Slavneft YANOS oil refinery, one of the five largest in Russia, was hit.
The company is of strategic importance for the Russian economy and military sector, producing petrol, diesel, jet fuel and lubricants. The plant's capacity reaches 15 million tonnes of oil annually.
A video of the flames that erupted after the strike was shared online. Local authorities have not officially commented on the strike, but the governor warned overnight of the threat of drone attacks. Russia's Defence Ministry said it had allegedly shot down 90 drones, including eight over Yaroslavl region, but the scale of the fire at the refinery casts doubt on the effectiveness of Russian air defences.
The Yaroslavl refinery is located almost a thousand kilometres from the front line, demonstrating the growing range of Ukraine's strike capabilities and the vulnerability of Russia's critical oil refining infrastructure.
