In the pre-dawn hours of December 5, 2025, the landscape of Russia’s energy infrastructure was rocked by a series of drone strikes that targeted two strategic sites: the Temryuk seaport in Krasnodar Krai and the Syzran Oil Refinery in Samara Oblast. According to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, these attacks were part of a deliberate campaign to "reduce the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor," underscoring Kyiv’s growing reliance on domestically produced long-range drones to hit deep inside Russian territory (as reported by The Kyiv Independent).
The Temryuk port, perched on the Temryuk Bay of the Sea of Azov, is no ordinary facility. Operated by the Mechel group, it serves as the primary export point for liquefied hydrocarbon gas (LPG) in southern Russia, handling shipments of oil, general cargo, bulk goods, and grain. On the night of the attack, Ukrainian drones struck the port infrastructure, sparking a fire at a gas terminal. Eyewitness footage reviewed by the independent Russian outlet Astra showed flames engulfing parts of the port. Russian authorities, including the Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters, confirmed that elements of the port infrastructure were damaged, adding that "all personnel were evacuated and there were no casualties." Thirty-two specialists and eight firefighting units were swiftly deployed to bring the blaze under control, according to Kyiv Post.
While the flames were being doused in Temryuk, another Ukrainian drone strike was reported at the Syzran Oil Refinery, roughly 700 kilometers from the Russia-Ukraine border. The refinery, owned by state-run Rosneft and boasting an annual processing capacity of up to 8.9 million tons, is a linchpin in Russia’s logistics and military fuel supply. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces stated that the strike forced the refinery to "completely suspend primary processing of crude oil and operate at less than 50% of its design capacity." This is not the first time Syzran has been targeted; previous attacks had already forced the plant to scale back operations.
Local residents in Syzran reported hearing explosions and posted videos and images of the nighttime attack on social media. Syzran Mayor Sergey Volodchenkov confirmed the drone strike but stopped short of naming specific targets. The situation on the ground was tense, but, as with the Temryuk incident, no casualties were reported and staff were evacuated as a precaution, according to open-source reports cited by Ukrinform.
Russian officials and state media were quick to respond, emphasizing their air-defense efforts. The Ministry of Defense claimed that 41 Ukrainian drones were "intercepted and destroyed" across several regions during the night, including nine over Samara, eight over Saratov, seven over Volgograd and Rostov, one over Krasnodar Territory, and nine over occupied Crimea. However, the ministry did not clarify whether the drones that struck Temryuk and Syzran were among those evaded by air defenses. The Grozny-City complex in Chechnya, housing the Chechen Security Council and other key institutions, was also reportedly targeted, although details about that incident remain sparse.
For Ukraine, these strikes are part of a broader strategy that officials have dubbed "long-range sanctions." The aim: to disrupt Russia’s war economy by hitting critical infrastructure that underpins military operations and state revenue. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces described the Temryuk port as a facility that "handles the shipment of various cargo types, including liquified natural gas, which is then used to supply the Russian army." The Syzran Oil Refinery, meanwhile, is seen as a vital cog in the machinery that keeps Russian military logistics humming.
The December 5 attacks did not occur in isolation. Over the past month, Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russian energy assets. In November, drones repeatedly struck the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk—Russia’s largest oil export hub—damaging the Sheskharis oil-loading terminal and temporarily halting exports. The Tuapse oil export terminal, also in Krasnodar Krai, was hit twice in November, damaging terminal infrastructure and forcing the Rosneft refinery to suspend operations. These strikes, Kyiv says, are designed to "disrupt fuel supply chains for Russian forces and cut state revenues generated from oil exports," as reported by Kyiv Post.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has been unambiguous about his government’s intentions. He declared, "such operations will continue as long as Moscow wages war." This statement echoes the resolve in Kyiv to keep up pressure on Russian logistical and economic targets, particularly as the conflict grinds on with no clear end in sight.
Experts and open-source analysts have noted the increasing scale and sophistication of Ukraine’s drone campaign. The attacks on December 5 spanned multiple regions and targeted not only energy infrastructure but also administrative centers like the Grozny-City complex. Analysts told Ukrinform that these operations reveal "growing drone activity on a regional scale and emphasize the need to strengthen air-defense systems." There is a clear call among Russian commentators for "improving air defense and coordination between regional services to reduce risks to civilians and property in future incidents."
The Russian response has been to bolster air defenses and highlight successful interceptions, but the repeated penetration of drones into critical infrastructure points suggests persistent vulnerabilities. The strikes have also raised concerns about the security of Russia’s energy sector and port hubs, which are not only economically vital but also crucial for military logistics.
For now, the damage assessments from the December 5 attacks are ongoing. Russian authorities have not specified the full extent of the losses at Temryuk or Syzran, but the fires and operational suspensions speak to the immediate impact. Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, view the strikes as a demonstration of their evolving capabilities and a warning that targets deep inside Russia are not beyond reach.
As the conflict enters yet another winter, the drone war over Russia’s energy infrastructure shows no sign of abating. With both sides adapting their tactics and technologies, the skies above Russia’s ports and refineries may remain contested for the foreseeable future.