Ukrainian drones strike Kuibyshev refinery in Russia's Samara region, causing large fire
On the night of 22 September 2026, Ukrainian drones attacked the Kuibyshevsky oil refinery in Samara Oblast, Russia, igniting a large-scale fire. Ukraine's General Staff and the Unmanned Systems Forces confirmed the strike, with the Unmanned Systems Forces stating the distance to the target exceeded 1,000 km. The same night, Ukrainian forces also struck the Bashneft-UNPZ refinery in Ufa.
Key points
- On the night of 22 September 2026, Ukrainian drones struck the Kuibyshevsky oil refinery in Samara Oblast, Russia, causing a large fire on the plant's territory.
- Ukraine's General Staff and the Unmanned Systems Forces confirmed the strike; the USF said operators of the 1st Separate Center carried it out together with other Defense Forces components.
- Ukrainian defense company Fire Point said the refinery was hit using an FP-1 drone and that preliminary data indicated primary refining units AVT-4 and AVT-5 were damaged.
- OSINT channel Exilenova+ reported the AVT-5 atmospheric-vacuum tube unit was burning; satellite imagery from the morning of 22 September showed fire near several fuel tanks in the eastern part of the plant.
- The Kuibyshevsky refinery belongs to Rosneft's Samara hub and has a design capacity of about 7 million tons of oil per year (Astra OSINT cites about 6.7 million tons).
- On the same night, Ukrainian forces also struck the Bashneft-UNPZ refinery in Ufa, where a fire was recorded; its capacity is about 7.5 million tons per year.
- Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said air defense forces shot down 'dozens of drones' over Samara Oblast but did not mention the refinery fire, citing damage to civilian objects including private houses and cars.
Why it matters
The Kuibyshevsky refinery is one of the largest plants in Rosneft's Samara refining hub, with a design capacity of about 7 million tons of oil per year. The strike reportedly hit primary refining units AVT-4 and AVT-5, the same units knocked out in a June attack, compounding damage already sustained in March 2024 and August 2025. Coming on the same night as the strike on Bashneft-UNPZ in Ufa and shortly after US President Donald Trump publicly urged Ukraine to halt such attacks, the operation underscores Ukraine's ability to hit targets more than 1,000 km away and the cumulative pressure on Russian refining capacity.
What happened
On the night of 22 September 2026, Ukrainian drones struck the Kuibyshevsky oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast, triggering a large fire. Local residents reported explosions preceded by the characteristic sound of drones. Videos circulated online showing dense smoke rising over the plant, with OSINT channel Exilenova+ reporting the smoke stretched for about 100 km. Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the strike and said the same operation hit the Bashneft-UNPZ refinery in Ufa. The Unmanned Systems Forces said operators of the 1st Separate Center carried out the attack together with other Defense Forces components at a distance exceeding 1,000 km. Ukrainian defense company Fire Point said an FP-1 drone was used and reported preliminary damage to primary refining units AVT-4 and AVT-5; OSINT analysts identified the AVT-5 atmospheric-vacuum tube unit as burning, and satellite imagery from the morning of 22 September showed fire foci near several fuel tanks in the eastern part of the plant. Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said air defense forces shot down 'dozens of drones' over the region and that drones targeted industrial enterprises, but he did not mention the refinery fire, instead citing damage to civilian objects including private houses and cars. Rosaviatsiya imposed nighttime flight restrictions in Samara and other cities in the region.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources lead with official confirmation from the General Staff and the Unmanned Systems Forces, emphasizing operational details — the use of FP-1 drones, the role of the 1st Separate Center of the USF, and the over-1,000 km distance to the target. Reporting frames the strikes as weakening Russia's military-economic potential by hitting refineries whose products supply the Russian army, and pairs the Kuibyshevsky attack with the simultaneous Bashneft-UNPZ strike in Ufa as a single coordinated long-range operation. Coverage also highlights damage to specific primary refining units (AVT-4 and AVT-5) and the plant's prior suspensions in June, August 2025, and March 2024 to underscore cumulative impact.
How international sources describe it
International coverage, including Azerbaijani-based reporting in English, has published a headline stating the attack in Samara region left one person dead and four injured — a claim not corroborated by other international or Ukrainian reporting and contradicted by the regional governor's statement of no casualties at the refinery. English-language reporting places the strike in the context of US President Donald Trump's recent public statements urging Ukraine to halt such attacks and his claim that Russia has 'lost control' of its oil refining industry because of the war. International framing of the Russian official response centers on Governor Fedorishchev's statement that drones targeted industrial enterprises and that air defense downed 'dozens of drones,' while he did not specifically mention the refinery fire. International coverage also gives prominence to the Russian Ministry of Defense's tally of 297 drones intercepted overnight across 14 regions and occupied Crimea.
Where reporting differs
Sources differ on the Kuibyshevsky refinery's design capacity: most cite approximately 7 million tons of oil per year, while OSINT channel Astra reports about 6.7 million tons. Reporting on casualties diverges sharply — one English-language headline states the attack in Samara region left one person dead and four injured, while other reporting and the regional governor cite no casualties from the strike on the refinery and attribute any damage to civilian objects. Sources also disagree on which refining units were burning: Exilenova+ and most preliminary reports identify AVT-5 as on fire, while Fire Point states that both AVT-4 and AVT-5 were hit. Finally, sources disagree on the year of the prior major suspension at the plant, with some citing June 2025 and others June 2026.
Background
The Kuibyshevsky refinery is part of Rosneft's Samara refining hub, which also includes the Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran refineries, all of which have been struck by Ukrainian Defense Forces at various times. The plant previously halted operations after drone attacks in June 2026 (or June 2025, depending on the source), August 2025, and March 2024. In 2024, the refinery processed 4.7 million tons of oil, producing approximately 800,000 tons of gasoline, 1.4 million tons of diesel, and 1.3 million tons of fuel oil. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, air defense forces reported intercepting 297 drones overnight over 14 regions and occupied Crimea; the previous night the figure was 244, and a claimed record 1,110 was reported on Sunday morning.