Ukrainian Drone Strikes Oil Refinery in Bashkortostan

Aug. 19, 2026 An FP-1 deep-strike drone launches for a combat mission. REUTERS / Valentyn Ogirenko Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a residential building in the republic of Bashkortostan, leaving at least one person injured, regional head Radiy Khabirov said Wednesday. Khabirov said air defense systems intercepted four of six drones that targeted the region overnight. One drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the regional capital of Ufa, hitting a unit that was undergoing maintenance. “We’re currently assessing the damage, but preliminary reports indicate that a unit undergoing maintenance was hit. As always, falling debris damages pipes, so there’s minor damage,” Khabirov told the state-run news agency TASS. “I expect everything will be repaired in a couple of days,” he was quoted as saying. Another drone crashed into a residential building in northern Ufa, shattering upper-floor windows and damaging parked cars, Khabirov said. One person was hospitalized for injuries sustained during the attack. Videos and photos on social media purportedly showed smoke rising from the blackened facade of the apartment building. Located over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from the Ukrainian border, Bashkortostan is a major hub for Russia’s oil processing industry. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted refineries and energy infrastructure in the region. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted 453 Ukrainian drones across Russia and annexed Crimea between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, authorities said at least six people were killed in separate Russian strikes on the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Read more about: Ukraine war , Bashkortostan , Drones Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Ukrainian Drones Strike Oil Refineries in Yaroslavl and Bashkortostan Authorities in the Tver region, meanwhile, reported damage to a warehouse operated by online retail giant Wildberries. 2 Min read Ukraine Hits Oil Refineries in Krasnodar and Bashkortostan Ukraine has struck most of Russia’s oil refineries in recent months, leading to acute fuel shortages in some parts of the country. 2 Min read Ukrainian Drones Reportedly Target Petrochemical Plant in Bashkortostan The Sterlitamak Nitrogen-Hydrogen Plant produces ammonia, nitrogen-based fertilizers and chemical components used in jet fuel. 1 Min read Ukrainian Drones Spark Fire at Gazprom Oil Plant in Bashkortostan Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat is Russia’s 10th-largest refinery, with a capacity of 10 million metric tons of oil per year. 1 Min read