Ukraine Drone Strikes Hit Russian Oil Facilities and Taganrog Port as Kyiv and Moscow Trade Blows in Escalating War

Kuala Lumpur — Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated overnight drone attack on multiple Russian energy and port facilities, striking oil depots, fuel tanks and a major southern port, while Russia retaliated with a massive barrage of 90 drones and ballistic missiles that knocked out power for thousands in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian strikes targeted key Russian oil infrastructure, including an oil facility in Armavir, Krasnodar Krai, giant fuel tanks near Yaroslavl, the Volgograd oil refinery (which was forced to shut down), and critically, the port of Taganrog in Rostov Oblast. In Taganrog, drones hit a tanker ship, a large fuel storage tank and an administrative building, sparking a major fire at the port.

Russian officials reported limited casualties. Two civilians were injured when a drone struck a private home in Taganrog, with medics providing assistance. No fatalities were confirmed from the energy infrastructure attacks. Fires were also reported after a gas pipe was damaged in the village of Grekovo-Timofeyevka, leading to evacuations, and windows were shattered in two houses in Botsmanovo.

Rostov Governor Yury Slyusar confirmed the incidents, stating: “A tanker, a fuel tank, and an administrative building caught fire at the port of Taganrog as a result of a drone attack… According to preliminary information, there are no casualties.”

In response, Russia launched approximately 90 drones and two Iskander-M ballistic missiles at Ukrainian targets. Energy infrastructure in the Zaporizhzhia region was damaged, leaving around 13,000 residents without electricity. Additional strikes caused damage to homes, vehicles and infrastructure in the Sumy region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned via Telegram that Ukraine has intelligence indicating Russia is preparing a new large-scale assault. “Our services are reacting swiftly and are ready,” he said, urging allies to accelerate deliveries of Patriot air defence systems.

This latest exchange highlights the growing focus on long-range drone warfare targeting energy infrastructure on both sides. Taganrog has been hit multiple times in recent months, including a deadly March 2026 attack that killed one person and wounded eight others.

The incidents come amid heightened regional tensions, including a Russian drone crash into an apartment building in eastern Romania on 29 May that injured two people.

This report is compiled based on official statements and coverage from Al Jazeera and Reuters.