In the latest escalation of cross-border strikes, Ukrainian Defense Forces launched a series of targeted attacks on key Russian industrial and military supply infrastructure during the nights of December 5 and 6, 2025. According to official statements from Ukraine’s General Staff and corroborated by footage released by Ukrainian drone commanders, these operations struck deep into Russian territory and the Russian-occupied regions of eastern Ukraine, hitting oil refineries and military manufacturing plants critical to Russia’s ongoing war effort.
The most prominent of these strikes targeted the Ryazan Oil Refinery, located in Russia’s Ryazan region. The refinery—one of the largest in the Russian Federation—boasts a design capacity of 17.1 million tonnes of oil per year and produces a range of essential fuels, including gasoline (A-92/95/98/100), jet fuel, and diesel, all of which are supplied to the Russian armed forces. On the night of December 6, Ukrainian forces hit and damaged the refinery’s low-temperature isomerization unit, a crucial component in the fuel production process. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, but Ukrainian officials reported a direct hit, with fire breaking out at the facility. This attack marks the ninth such strike on the Ryazan refinery since the beginning of 2025, according to Astra, underscoring the refinery’s strategic importance and Ukraine’s sustained campaign against Russia’s logistical backbone.
Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, released dramatic footage of the Ryazan strike, attributing the operation to the “Magyar Birds” from the 1st Separate Unmanned Systems Centre, the 9th Kairos Battalion of the 414th Magyar’s Birds Separate Brigade, and colleagues from Defence Intelligence. As Brovdi described on social media, “Ryazan oil Refinery (Ryazan, Russian Federation) – that fuel hub was once again ignited by the Magyar Birds from the 1st Separate Unmanned Systems Centre, the 9th Kairos Battalion of the 414th Magyar’s Birds Separate Brigade and colleagues from Defence Intelligence.”
Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces struck the Alchevsk Metallurgical Plant, also known as the Alchevsk steelworks, in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region. This facility has been a key producer of shell casings for the Russian Ministry of Defense, making it a high-value military target. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed a successful hit and subsequent fire at the plant, with the results and extent of the damage still being evaluated. Brovdi’s footage also captured the Alchevsk strike, noting, “Alchevsk steelworks, temporarily occupied territory – that wretched plant produces shell casings for the occupation army. It was put ablaze by the Birds from the 1st Unmanned Systems Centre (formerly the 14th Regiment).”
The timing and coordination of these strikes were not coincidental. On the night of December 5, just hours before the Ryazan and Alchevsk operations, Ukrainian drones had already hit two other major Russian logistical nodes: the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region and the Temryuk seaport in Krasnodar. Both sites are involved in supplying the Russian military, with the Temryuk port handling cargoes of liquefied gas, chemicals, and other materials vital to the war effort. Fires broke out at both locations, and Ukrainian officials stated that the full extent of the damage was still being clarified.
The Syzran refinery, with a processing capacity between 7 and 8.9 million tons of oil per year, is another significant cog in Russia’s fuel supply chain for its armed forces. Preliminary reports indicated that one of the plant’s units was hit, sparking a fire. Meanwhile, earlier Ukrainian strikes had already targeted the Saratov oil refinery, damaging its ELOU-AVT-6 crude oil distillation unit. As of early December, the Saratov facility was operating at less than 50% capacity, with key units fully shut down, according to Ukrainian military reports.
These attacks are part of a broader Ukrainian strategy aimed at undermining Russia’s ability to sustain its military operations. Over the two weeks preceding December 5, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine’s special unit known as the “Ghosts” carried out eight precise strikes on enemy targets, demonstrating a persistent and evolving campaign of sabotage and disruption far beyond the frontlines.
For Ukraine, these operations are not merely tactical victories but also serve as powerful symbols of resilience and technological ingenuity. The use of advanced drones and unmanned systems—often operated by specialized units like Brovdi’s “Magyar Birds”—has allowed Ukraine to reach deep into Russian-held territory, targeting infrastructure that was, until recently, considered out of reach. The public release of strike footage by Ukrainian commanders is as much about morale and psychological impact as it is about transparency and documentation.
From the Russian perspective, these strikes pose a growing challenge. While Russian regional authorities confirmed a drone attack in Ryazan, they did not acknowledge damage to the refinery itself. This pattern of official silence or minimization has become common, as the Kremlin seeks to project an image of control and invulnerability. Nevertheless, the frequency and precision of Ukrainian attacks on vital logistics hubs—especially those directly supplying the Russian military—are forcing a reckoning with the vulnerabilities in Russia’s rear areas.
The targeting of oil refineries and military manufacturing plants is not without risk. Such operations carry the potential for escalation, with both sides accusing each other of violating the laws of war or targeting civilian infrastructure. However, Ukrainian officials maintain that their strikes are aimed squarely at facilities contributing directly to Russia’s war effort, such as fuel hubs and shell casing factories. The distinction is crucial, both for international opinion and for maintaining support among Ukraine’s allies.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian public and diaspora have rallied behind these efforts, with media outlets like Ukrainska Pravda and The Kyiv Independent calling for international support and financial backing to continue their reporting and counter Russian propaganda. As The Kyiv Independent wrote, “There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting. We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck.”
As the war grinds on and both sides adapt their tactics, the battle for logistical supremacy and information dominance is intensifying. With each successful strike, Ukraine not only disrupts Russia’s supply lines but also sends a message: the rear is no longer safe, and the tools of modern warfare are rewriting the rules of engagement. The coming weeks will reveal how both nations adjust to this new reality, as the lines between front and rear, and between military and industrial targets, continue to blur.
For now, the echoes of explosions in Ryazan, Alchevsk, Syzran, and Temryuk serve as stark reminders that the war’s reach is expanding—and that Ukraine’s campaign to weaken Russia’s war machine is far from over.
