Ukrainian Drones Hit Gazprom Salavat Plant

Ukrainian drones struck the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat petrochemical complex in Bashkortostan on the night of Sept. 23–24, marking the second attack on the facility in under a week. Ukrainian outlets identified the Security Service of Ukraine’s Special Operations Centre A as the operator of the long-range strikes; the attack sparked a large fire and column of black smoke while emergency services worked to extinguish it and authorities reported no casualties. The Salavat plant—one of Russia’s largest refineries and petrochemical complexes located roughly 1,000–1,500 km from the Ukrainian border—produces gasoline, diesel, kerosene and numerous chemical products. The strikes are part of an intensified Ukrainian campaign against Russian energy infrastructure that has reduced refining runs, contributed to domestic fuel shortages and price spikes, and led Russian firms and authorities to warn of further production curbs or postponed maintenance. Russian official updates have been limited and Kyiv has not uniformly commented publicly, while Ukrainian sources argue such facilities are legitimate military targets because of their role in funding Moscow’s war effort.