In brief
On 5 August 2026, Ukrainian forces claimed to strike the Bashneft‑Novoil and Slavneft‑Yanos refineries deep inside Russia, aiming to cut Moscow’s oil revenue. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attacks also targeted Black Sea patrol boats transporting sanctioned oil. Russian officials reported casualties and widespread damage, including 93 drones shot down over Yaroslavl and 11 civilians killed across eastern zones. The conflict remains stagnant, with each side’s attacks intensifying while diplomatic talks stall.
On 5 August 2026, Ukrainian forces claimed to have struck the Bashneft‑Novoil refinery in Bashkortostan and the Slavneft‑Yanos refinery in Yaroslavl, deep within Russian territory, as part of a campaign to cut Moscow’s war‑financing infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Bashneft‑Novoil site was about 1,300 km from the Ukrainian border, while Slavneft‑Yanos, 700 km away, was set ablaze in a drone strike that left four people injured, according to Yaroslavl governor Mikhail Evraev. Video footage confirmed massive smoke plumes erupting from the refinery stacks.
Ukraine also reported that two patrol boats and other Black Sea vessels were hit, targeting Russian tankers that transport illegally‑sanctioned oil. In addition, Russian forces faced 605 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Ukraine said 11 civilians were killed in broader attacks across eastern and southern zones.
Despite both sides reinforcing attacks on hard‑target infrastructure, the front line remains virtually static and diplomatic talks have stalled. Ukraine stresses its strikes aim to limit Moscow’s oil revenues, hoping to strengthen chances for diplomacy.
Key affected regions include:
- Yaroslavl – 93 drones shot down overnight.
- Kharkiv region – three residents killed and four people injured in a drone attack on Balakliya.
- Kherson – the city suffered a blackout after a “critical infrastructure facility” was hit; internet connectivity fell to about 31% at its lowest.
- Odesa – one person killed when two dry cargo ships were struck.
