Ukraine says its drones struck three refineries and tankers in Russia

A satellite image shows smoke rising and damage at the Omsk oil refinery following a drone attack, Russia, on July 7, 2026.

| Photo Credit: Reuters

Ukrainian drones struck three Russian oil refineries, Russian tankers on the Sea of Azov, and pipeline pumping stations, Ukrainian and Russian officals said on Wednesday (July 8, 2026), in a major night of strikes ranging from the Ukrainian border to the Urals mountains.

Russia has been suffering from acute fuel shortages in some regions as Ukraine wages a drone campaign against its oil refineries and energy infrastructure, with Kyiv hitting targets ever further from its own territory.

Kyiv on Monday (July 6, 2026) hit the Omsk refinery, Russia’s largest, deep inside Siberia, around 2,700 km from Ukrainian-held territory.

In separate statements, Ukraine’s general staff and special forces said drones had hit the TANECO and TAIF-NK oil refineries in Tatarstan’s Nizhnekamsk, the Saratov oil refinery, and the Borisoglebsk mili tary airbase in Voronezh region.

Ukraine also said it had struck a petroleum products pumping station in Russia’s Bashkortostan.

Russia bans diesel exports

Russia introduced ⁠a ban on diesel exports on Wednesday (July 8, 2026) as part of a raft of measures to support the domestic fuel ‌market amid systematic Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries.

Drivers in many regions are ‌facing ⁠hours-long lines to refuel, as intensifying Ukrainian ⁠strikes on Russian energy infrastructure squeeze supplies of diesel and gasoline.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told a televised government meeting ​that the fuel ‌situation remained complex and that “it is clear that the current situation at filling stations is causing concern among the public.”

“Today, a ban on diesel ‌fuel exports was introduced, and this will ​make it possible to increase supplies to the domestic market,” he said, adding ⁠that Russia would start importing fuel in July.

The government said the ban, which includes producers of ‌the fuel, will be in place until July 31.

Benchmark European diesel margins <LGOc1-LCOc1> rose to a record $60.17 per barrel after Russia banned exports.

Published - July 08, 2026 10:40 pm IST