Coordinated attacks hit two major refineries deep inside Russian territory, as well as patrol boats and 'shadow fleet' vessels in the Black Sea. Moscow claims it shot down 605 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Ukrainian forces carried out one of their deepest strikes on Russian energy infrastructure since the start of the war on Wednesday, hitting two major oil refineries hundreds of kilometers from the border. At the same time, two Russian military patrol boats and vessels of the so-called 'shadow fleet'-used by Moscow for sanctioned oil exports-were targeted in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attacks on Thursday, August 6, 2026, calling them 'long-range sanctions' aimed at curbing Russia's oil revenues. 'Russia must choose peace,' Zelensky said, adding that such actions 'strengthen the chances for diplomacy.'
Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported that its Active Operations Department, along with other defense units, struck the Slavneft-YANOS refinery in the Yaroslavl region overnight, causing a massive fire. The facility, which can process up to 15 million tons of oil annually, is a key fuel supplier for central and northwestern Russia, including Moscow.
Yaroslavl Governor Evraev said that debris from downed drones fell on the refinery's storage tanks. 'Emergency services are working to extinguish the fire,' he said. According to him, 93 drones were shot down over the region during the night. BBC Verify confirmed the authenticity of multiple videos and photos on social media showing huge columns of smoke rising above the refinery, with at least four visible fires on the site.
Even deeper into Russian territory, the Bashneft-Novoyl refinery in the Republic of Bashkortostan was also hit. Zelensky noted that this target was more than 1,300 kilometers from the front line. Local authorities in Bashkortostan have not publicly commented on the attack, which occurred on August 5.
While Kyiv celebrated the success of its long-range strikes, Russian forces continued their devastating attacks on Ukrainian cities. In the Kharkiv region, three people were killed in a nighttime drone attack on the city of Balakliia, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS). Regional head Oleh Syniehubov reported that two more people were killed and eight injured when drones struck a railway station in Lozova.
In attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk region, five people lost their lives. In the south, the entire city of Kherson was left without power after a 'critical infrastructure facility' was hit, said regional head Oleksandr Prokudin. In the Black Sea port of Odesa, one person was killed in a Russian attack on two dry cargo ships.
Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces intercepted or shot down 605 Ukrainian drones over several regions during the night. In its latest operational report, the Russian military said it targeted Ukrainian fuel depots, energy and transport facilities, and drone storage sites.
Both sides have intensified attacks on major cities, energy plants, and depots in recent weeks, while the vast front line remains almost static, and all mediation efforts to end the war have made no progress. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
