A Ukrainian military drone struck the Novoil refinery operated by Bashneft in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan on Saturday, damaging a key processing unit, according to a person familiar with the operation.
Preliminary data indicated that an atmospheric distillation column used for primary oil refining had been hit, according to Bloomberg.
The attack prompted the temporary suspension of flights at Ufa Airport, which serves domestic destinations as well as routes to Turkey, Egypt, and other countries.
Earlier, Bashkortostan regional head Radiy Khabirov confirmed that a drone strike had sparked a fire at a Bashneft facility but did not specify which of the company’s three refineries was affected.
According to Rosneft, Bashneft’s Ufa refining unit includes Novoil, Ufimsky, and Ufaneftekhim refineries, with a combined annual crude-processing capacity of 23.5 million tons.
The company’s press service did not respond to a WhatsApp message seeking comment outside regular working hours.
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