Ukraine mounted a series of long-range strikes in the early hours of 29 October, hitting oil and petrochemical facilities across multiple regions of Russia and occupied Crimea, according to local officials and media reports.
The reported targets included an oil site in Ulyanovsk region, the Stavrolen petrochemical complex in Stavropol Krai, the Mari Oil Refinery in the Republic of Mari El, and two fuel depots near Simferopol. Kyiv did not immediately claim responsibility. Russian authorities reported fires and temporary airspace restrictions but said many drones were intercepted. Independent verification remains limited.
In Ulyanovsk region, residents reported explosions and a large fire in the Novospasskoye district, where the NS-Oil facility is located. Governor Alexei Russkikh said four drones were downed and debris caused a blaze that was later extinguished; he did not confirm damage at the refinery itself. Ukrainian and Russian outlets circulated videos overnight purporting to show the incident.
Further south, reports indicated a strike on the Stavrolen plant in Budyonnovsk, a major producer of polyethylene and polypropylene. Reuters, citing Ukrainian media, said local officials acknowledged an incident in the Budyonnovsk area while withholding specifics.
In the central Volga region, multiple outlets reported a fire at the Mari Oil Refinery near Tabashino, close to the regional capital Yoshkar-Ola. Ukrainian and Russian media described it as one of the first reported long-range hits in Mari El during the war, sharing footage of flames visible from nearby settlements. Details of the extent of damage and any effect on output were not confirmed.
In occupied Crimea, two fuel depots were reported ablaze: one in the village of Hvardiiske (Gvardiyske) and another within Simferopol. Crimean-focused monitoring channels and Ukrainian media said both facilities support Russian military logistics on the peninsula. The Moscow-based independent outlet The Moscow Times, citing Ukrainian sources, likewise reported fires at oil storage sites in Hvardiiske and Simferopol, while noting it could not verify the claims. Local authorities did not report casualties.
The overnight activity coincided with a broader wave of drone incursions. Ukrainian and Russian outlets reportedtemporary closures at a number of Russian airports—variously put at up to 13—during the night as air defences were activated. Russia’s Defence Ministry said 100 drones were intercepted across multiple regions; this figure could not be independently corroborated at the time of writing.
Alongside the aerial strikes, reports pointed to sabotage actions against rail infrastructure used by Russian forces in southern Ukraine. In Zaporizhzhia region, an explosion near Stulneve was said to have damaged a military train and sections of track, disrupting movements. A separate incident near Tokmak on 26 October was also reported to have affected rail lines between Chernihivka and Stulneve. These claims were attributed to Ukrainian officials and resistance channels; timings and damage assessments have not been independently verified.
The facilities named in the reports have roles in storage, refining and petrochemical production. Stavrolen in Budyonnovsk is a key producer of polymers used across civilian and industrial supply chains. Oil depots at Hvardiiske and in Simferopol form a part of fuel logistics for Russian units in southern Ukraine. The NS-Oil site in Novospasskoye and the Mari Oil Refinery near Yoshkar-Ola are regional hubs for processing and distribution.
The reported strike pattern aligns with a months-long Ukrainian effort to target energy infrastructure that supports Russian military operations and logistics. Previous Ukrainian attacks have included refineries and storage facilities across southern and western Russia, as well as sites on the Crimean peninsula. While the precise operational impact of the latest incidents is not yet clear, any sustained disruption to refining and depot capacities can affect fuel distribution and transport planning.
These incidents mark one of the more geographically dispersed nights of strikes on Russian energy-related sites during the conflict, with reported impacts stretching from the Volga to the North Caucasus and Crimea.
