In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Ukraine has ramped up its campaign of drone and missile strikes, targeting critical Russian energy infrastructure both inside Russian territory and in Russian-controlled regions of eastern Ukraine. The latest wave of attacks has left hundreds of thousands without power, disrupted oil production at one of Russia’s largest refineries, and signaled a new phase in the ongoing conflict.
According to Reuters, Denis Pushilin—the Moscow-installed head of Russian-controlled areas in Ukraine’s Donetsk region—reported on November 18, 2025, that an "unprecedented" Ukrainian overnight assault had damaged two major thermal power plants: Zuivska and Starobesheve. The scale of the attack forced boiler houses and water filtration plants at both facilities to shut down, leaving many settlements in the dark. Emergency crews scrambled to restore services, but the impact was immediate and widespread.
Pushilin, writing on Telegram, painted a picture of significant disruption. He detailed how the attack had not only knocked out power to civilian areas, but also crippled essential services like water filtration—an often overlooked but crucial element of daily life. The following day, Pushilin further disclosed that a previous Ukrainian drone strike on November 17 had already left approximately 500,000 people without electricity across several districts in the region. The timing and intensity of these strikes suggest a deliberate Ukrainian strategy to undermine Russian control and logistics in the occupied territories.
While Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the specifics of these Donetsk attacks, the pattern is clear. As Reuters has noted, Kyiv has recently intensified its use of long-range drones and missiles to target power plants and infrastructure in Russian-occupied parts of Donetsk. The intent, analysts say, is to disrupt military logistics and sap Moscow’s ability to sustain its war effort. By hitting these vital nodes, Ukraine aims to complicate Russian troop movements, supply chains, and civilian morale in the region.
But the campaign is not confined to the front lines. In a bold move that underscores the reach of Ukrainian drone technology, a strike on November 15, 2025, ignited a fire at Rosneft’s Ryazan oil refinery—one of Russia’s largest and most strategically important energy facilities. As reported by Devdiscourse and confirmed by industry insiders speaking to Reuters, the attack forced the refinery to halt crude processing entirely. The repercussions were swift: oil product loadings from the plant have been suspended until at least December 1, with the refinery expected to remain offline through the end of November.
Pavel Malkov, the governor of Ryazan, acknowledged on Telegram that debris from the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack started the fire, though he stopped short of naming the specific site within the sprawling complex. Sources privy to the situation revealed that the blaze led to the shutdown of the refinery’s main crude distillation unit—a critical component that accounts for 48% of the plant’s total capacity. The significance of this disruption cannot be overstated, as the Ryazan facility plays a pivotal role in Russia’s domestic fuel supply and exports.
The Ryazan attack is part of a broader Ukrainian strategy that has seen at least 17 major Russian refineries targeted by drones this year alone. The campaign extends deep into Russian territory, going after refineries, depots, and pipelines in an effort to inflict both economic and logistical pain. Despite these repeated blows, Russia’s oil processing has only declined by about 3% in 2025, according to industry sources cited by Reuters. Russian refineries have managed to compensate for the damage by utilizing spare capacity elsewhere—a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the country’s energy sector, but also a sign of the mounting pressure it faces.
For many observers, the Ukrainian approach represents a calculated risk. By striking energy infrastructure, Kyiv seeks to erode Russia’s ability to wage war while also sending a stark message about the vulnerability of even the most heavily guarded assets. The attacks on Donetsk’s thermal power plants and the Ryazan refinery are not isolated incidents; they are part of a coordinated effort to bring the war’s consequences home to the Russian heartland and to the occupied territories alike.
The humanitarian impact, however, is difficult to ignore. In Donetsk, the loss of electricity has left hundreds of thousands without heat or light as winter approaches. Water filtration plants going offline raises the specter of public health crises, particularly in communities already strained by months of fighting. Emergency crews face daunting challenges as they work to restore basic services, often under the threat of renewed attacks or ongoing military operations.
Meanwhile, the disruption at the Ryazan refinery could ripple through Russian fuel markets, potentially affecting everything from local gasoline supplies to international energy exports. While Russian officials have attempted to downplay the long-term consequences—emphasizing the industry’s ability to adapt—the sheer scale of the attacks has forced a reckoning with the reality of modern drone warfare.
Ukraine’s escalation of drone and missile strikes on energy infrastructure reflects both technological innovation and strategic necessity. With limited resources and a determination to reclaim lost territory, Kyiv has embraced asymmetric tactics designed to offset Russia’s advantages in manpower and equipment. The results, as recent events show, can be dramatic—if not always decisive.
For Russia, the attacks present a complex challenge. On one hand, the government must reassure the public and international partners that energy supplies remain stable and that the war effort is undeterred. On the other, it faces the growing costs of defending vast and vulnerable infrastructure networks against increasingly sophisticated Ukrainian drones. Each new strike raises questions about the effectiveness of Russian air defenses and the long-term sustainability of its war economy.
As winter sets in and the conflict grinds on, both sides are likely to double down on their respective strategies. For civilians caught in the crossfire—whether in Donetsk’s darkened settlements or in the shadow of a burning refinery—the stakes have never been higher. The war’s front lines are no longer defined solely by trenches and artillery, but by the power grids and pipelines that keep modern societies running.
This latest surge in attacks underscores the evolving nature of the conflict, where technology, infrastructure, and resilience are as central to victory as tanks and troops. As emergency crews race to restore power and refinery workers assess the damage, the world watches to see how both Ukraine and Russia will adapt to this new and unpredictable phase of warfare.