Russia's Syzran Oil Refinery under attack by Ukrainian drones, media reports

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Ukrainian drones attacked the Syzran Oil Refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast overnight on Dec. 28, according to videos and eyewitness accounts circulating on social media.

The refinery was attacked multiple times in the night, the Exilenova-Plus Telegram channel reported, citing video footage from local residents. Locals posted videos of fire trucks heading to the refinery after explosions.

The strike may have hit the Syzran Oil Refinery's ELOU-AVT-5 installation, a primary oil processing facility at the plant.

An electrical substation in Syzran was also reportedly targeted overnight. Residents reported blackouts in the city after the drone attack, with one video purporting to show a direct hit on the substation.

Multiple explosions were heard in Syzran during the night and air defenses were active in the area, the Russian Telegram channel Shot reported. The Russian Defense Ministry later reported that 12 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Samara Oblast overnight.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these reports at the time of publication.

0:00 / 1× Video purports to show a direct hit on an electrical substation in Syzran, Russia, during an overnight drone attack on Dec. 28, 2025. (Exilenova-Plus / Telegram)

The Syzran Oil Refinery lies around 700 kilometers (430 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border. Opened in 1942, the facility belongs to the Russian state oil giant Rosneft and has an annual processing capacity of 7 to 8.9 million tons of oil.

The refinery has been targeted in previous drone attacks as part of Ukraine's campaign against the Russian oil industry, which provides funding and fuel for Moscow's war effort. A recent attack reportedly forced the refinery to halt operations on Dec. 5, according to Reuters.

Ukraine's military confirmed the Dec. 5 strike, saying it carried out the operation to "reduce the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor."

Kyiv has also carried out strikes against electrical substations and other infrastructure facilities in Russia and Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. The attacks come as Moscow attempts to cripple Ukraine's energy and heating systems in the fourth winter of the full-scale invasion.