Ukraine strikes Russian military targets and two oil refineries overnight on 12–13 September
On 12 September and during the night of 13 September 2026, Ukraine's Defense Forces struck multiple Russian military targets across occupied Donetsk, Kherson Oblast, occupied Crimea, Bryansk Oblast, Rostov Oblast, Krasnodar Krai and Tatarstan. The targets included UAV launch and storage sites, ground repeaters used to control Geran/Gerbera strike drones, radar and antenna complexes, weapons depots, and two oil refineries — the Slavyansky refinery in Krasnodar Krai and the Taneko refinery in Tatarstan, where a fire broke out in one of the reservoirs.
Key points
- Ukraine's Defense Forces struck a series of Russian military targets on 12 September and overnight on 13 September 2026.
- Hits included a UAV storage, preparation and launch site in occupied Donetsk.
- Ground repeaters used to control Geran/Gerbera-type strike UAVs were hit near Zaliznyi Port, Skadovsk, Chornomorske and Olenivka; an antenna complex in Olenivka was also struck.
- A target-tracking radar station was hit near Riovny in Bryansk Oblast, and a weapons and military equipment storage site near Rechitsa.
- A site for the storage, preparation and launch of enemy strike UAVs was hit in Millerovo, Rostov Oblast.
- Two Russian oil refineries were struck overnight: the Slavyansky refinery in Slavyansk-na-Kubani, Krasnodar Krai, and the Taneko refinery in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan.
- A fire broke out in one of the reservoirs at the Taneko refinery, which is described as one of Russia's largest and most modern, with a design capacity of more than 16 million tonnes of oil per year, and is located more than 1,200 km from the Ukrainian border.
- The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the strikes via Facebook; the previous Ukrainian strike on Taneko was on 20 August 2026.
Why it matters
The operation targeted elements of the chain Russia uses to launch and control its long-range strike UAVs, potentially degrading a key instrument in attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Hitting the Taneko refinery in Tatarstan — more than 1,200 km from the Ukrainian border — demonstrated the reach of Ukrainian deep-strike capabilities. The coordinated nature of the strikes, spanning occupied Ukrainian territory, Russian border regions and the Russian heartland, points to an expanded campaign against Russian military and fuel infrastructure, including facilities that supply the Russian army.
What happened
On 12 September and during the night of 13 September 2026, units of Ukraine's Defense Forces carried out a coordinated series of strikes against Russian military targets. In occupied Donetsk, a site used for storing, preparing and launching Russian strike UAVs was hit. Near Zaliznyi Port and Skadovsk in Kherson Oblast, and near Chornomorske and Olenivka in occupied Crimea, ground repeaters used to control Geran/Gerbera-type strike drones were destroyed. In Olenivka, an enemy antenna complex was also struck. In Russia's Bryansk Oblast, a target-tracking radar station was hit near the settlement of Riovny, and a weapons and military equipment storage site was hit near Rechitsia. A UAV storage, preparation and launch site was struck in Millerovo, Rostov Oblast. During the night of 13 September, Ukrainian forces attacked two Russian oil refineries: the Slavyansky refinery in Slavyansk-na-Kubani, Krasnodar Krai, and the Taneko refinery in Nizhnekamsk, Republic of Tatarstan. A fire broke out in one of the reservoirs at the Taneko refinery. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the strikes.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All sources in the supplied material are Ukrainian. They frame the strikes as successful and significant, emphasising the geographic spread of targets and the disruption caused to Russia's UAV command-and-control chain and to oil refining capacity that supports the Russian military. Reporting and the General Staff's own statements highlight the strategic reach of Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory.
Background
The Taneko refinery in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan, is described as one of the largest and most modern oil refineries in Russia, with a design capacity of more than 16 million tonnes of oil per year. It produces diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, gasoline, liquefied gases and petroleum coke, including for the needs of the Russian army. The previous Ukrainian strike on Taneko was reported on 20 August 2026. The Geran/Gerbera-type UAVs are Russian strike drones, and the repeaters hit in the 12–13 September operations were used to control them.