Drone strike hits Kirishi oil refinery, fire confirmed
Illustrative photo: drone attack on refinery (Getty Images)
On the night of September 14, 2025, the Kirishi oil refinery (KINEF) in Russia's Leningrad region came under a drone attack, according to a Telegram post by the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi.
According to preliminary information, the attack triggered explosions on the refinery's territory, which caused a large-scale fire.
A video from the scene, published on social media, shows bright flashes and thick black smoke rising into the sky.
At the same time, Russian officials have not yet provided any information on the extent of the damage or possible casualties.
It should be noted that this attack is part of a series of strikes by Ukrainian forces targeting Russia's oil infrastructure, ongoing since the start of the war. The aim is to weaken the aggressor’s economic potential and reduce its ability to supply fuel to its own troops.
The Drone Forces reported that on the night of September 14, operators from the 14th Separate UAV Regiment, together with units of the Special Operations Forces, carried out a successful strike on Russia's second-largest oil refinery, Kirishinefteorgsintez, in Leningrad region.
"As a result of the drone strike, a large-scale fire broke out on the refinery’s territory, confirmed by NASA FIRMS satellite monitoring data. The full results of the strike are being clarified," the statement said.
According to the report, the refinery is the main supplier of petroleum products for St. Petersburg, as well as Leningrad, Novgorod, and Pskov regions. Its processing capacity exceeds 20 million tons of oil per year, making it the second-largest refinery in Russia after the Omsk plant.
About Kirishi oil refinery
Kirishsky Oil Refinery (KNPP), owned by Surgutneftegaz, is one of the largest in Russia, with an annual capacity of over 20 million tons of crude oil, producing high-octane gasoline and other fuels.
The refinery is located in the town of Kirishi in Leningrad region and annually processes about 17.7 million tons of oil, accounting for 6.4% of Russia's total refining output. Additionally, KNPP produces 2.3 million tons of gasoline (5.3% of national production), 7.6% of diesel fuel, 16.3% of fuel oil, and 3.4% of aviation fuel.
Previous strikes on Russian refineries
Ukrainian drones have previously targeted other key refineries, including those in Ufa, Ilsk, and Novoshakhtinsk, causing fuel shortages in several regions of Russia.
For instance, the Saratov Oil Refinery, operated by Rosneft, temporarily halted oil intake following a drone attack on Sunday, August 10.
On the night of August 10, the Drone Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in coordination with other Defense Forces units, carried out a strike on the Saratov refinery in Russia — located about 600 km from Ukraine’s state border.
In addition to the Ryazan refinery, the Novokuibyshevsk plant of Rosneft was also damaged by drone strikes and fully suspended operations as of August 2.
