Satellite imagery from Maxar has confirmed the extensive damage caused by a Ukrainian drone strike on the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region on August 21.

The images show that six storage tanks were completely destroyed in the attack, while two others sustained heavy damage. The strike triggered a massive fire that burned for five days before being fully extinguished this morning.

The refinery, one of the largest in southern Russia, has been targeted multiple times since the war began, underscoring Ukraine’s continued focus on disrupting Russian energy infrastructure. Analysts say such strikes aim to weaken Moscow’s logistical and economic capacity to sustain its war effort.

Russian officials have condemned the attack, while Ukrainian authorities have not issued an official statement, in keeping with Kyiv’s policy of strategic ambiguity on cross-border operations.

The incident highlights both Ukraine’s expanding drone capabilities and the vulnerabilities of Russia’s critical infrastructure deep inside its territory.