On the night of November 28, 2025, the Saratov Oil Refinery in Russia was once again rocked by explosions and fire, the latest in a series of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting the heart of Russia’s energy infrastructure. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the attack was part of a broader campaign aimed at reducing the military and economic might of the Russian aggressor. The refinery, located in the Saratov region, produces over 20 types of petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, and industrial sulfur, and is a key supplier for the Russian occupation army.
Reports from the scene described a series of explosions followed by a fire in the target area. While the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, this was not an isolated incident. On the same night, Ukrainian forces also struck a UAV storage site at the Saki airfield in Novofedorivka, Crimea, which is currently under Russian occupation. The strike reportedly destroyed several air defense systems, including Pantsir-S1 and TOR-M2 units, and obliterated a hangar storing Orion and Forpost drones. Additional hits targeted a command and control center, a KamAZ military truck, and areas where enemy personnel and fuel depots are concentrated in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
This latest wave of strikes underscores Ukraine’s commitment to its deep-strike drone campaign, which has been steadily chipping away at Russia’s oil and gas production capabilities. As reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, industry experts estimate that Ukraine’s campaign has already cost Russia 10 percent of its refining capacity. Tatiana Mitrova of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy commented, “Ten percent, it’s not an astonishing number. But it is still something that starts to be felt with the Russian domestic fuel crisis, with reduced oil refined products exports, and general tension inside the Russian oil sector.”
Ukraine’s drone capabilities have evolved rapidly, with investments in long-distance drones such as the Lyutiy, which can deliver explosives up to 2,000 kilometers from secret launch sites. Alongside these advanced systems, Ukrainian drone units have become adept at swarming targets with dozens of cheaper first-person-view (FPV) drones. This technological leap has allowed Kyiv to strike vital Russian oil and gas resources almost daily, often hitting the same facilities multiple times—a strategy Mitrova describes as essential, given Russia’s constant efforts to repair and rebuild.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the Saratov refinery has been targeted repeatedly, with a similar strike reported on November 14, which also saw the destruction of a naval base in Novorossiysk and a fuel storage site near Engels. The results of these attacks, while still being clarified, are part of a larger pattern. Kyiv has managed to strike at least half of Russia’s 38 major production complexes, forcing Russia to reduce oil processing from 5.4 million barrels per day in July to 5 million by September. Yet, as Mitrova points out, Russia operates the world’s third-largest refining system and has surplus capacity, meaning the true impact may take years to become fully apparent. “It might take years before the result becomes really visible,” she notes, “so we are not talking about Russian refining collapsing anytime soon—but exhausting its potential, it really started already.”
The fallout from these strikes is being felt beyond the refineries themselves. Russian consumers have begun to experience gasoline shortages and rationing, and the government has banned gasoline exports in an effort to stabilize the domestic market. With more crude oil being exported and less refined product available, Russia’s export revenues have taken a hit. Fossil fuels remain the backbone of the Russian economy, bringing in approximately $100 billion annually—a figure that is about 20 percent lower than it was a year ago, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Despite the economic pain, industry experts caution against assuming that these attacks will translate into immediate battlefield advantages for Ukraine. As Mitrova explains, the Russian Army is typically first in line when resources are limited, so the effects on military operations may be muted in the short term. Still, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains convinced of the strategy’s effectiveness. On November 28, 2025, he declared, “Hits on Russia’s refineries are the most effective sanctions—the ones that work the fastest.”
The ongoing campaign is taking place against a backdrop of diplomatic maneuvering and continued uncertainty about Russia’s intentions. President Zelensky announced that Ukrainian and US delegations are set to meet this week to work out a peace formula and security guarantees for Kyiv. This follows recent talks in Geneva, where both sides discussed potential frameworks for ending the conflict and ensuring Ukraine’s future security.
Meanwhile, Italy’s defense minister weighed in on the prospects for peace, stating on Thursday, November 27, that it will become clear in the coming weeks whether Russian President Vladimir Putin has any genuine interest in negotiating an end to the war. The minister emphasized that the conflict is costing Moscow dearly, even as it ramps up defense spending to sustain its military efforts.
For Russia, the stakes are high. The nearly four-year full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been heavily funded by gas and oil sales abroad, making the sector a prime target for both sanctions and military strikes. The US and European Union have imposed waves of sanctions aimed at curbing Russia’s ability to finance its war machine, but the drone campaign represents a new and highly visible front in the effort to undermine Russia’s economic base.
Looking ahead, Ukraine appears determined to maintain pressure on Russian energy infrastructure, leveraging its growing technological prowess and international support. The repeated strikes on facilities like the Saratov Oil Refinery signal that Kyiv sees economic disruption as a critical component of its broader strategy—one that complements ongoing diplomatic efforts and the pursuit of security guarantees from Western allies.
As the world watches, the coming weeks may prove pivotal. Whether Moscow will be forced to reconsider its position at the negotiating table or find new ways to absorb the mounting costs of war remains to be seen. For now, Ukraine’s drone campaign continues to send a clear message: the costs of aggression are rising, and the consequences are being felt far beyond the battlefield.
