Ukraine strikes Russian oil refineries and Wildberries logistics in coordinated drone campaign

Ukrainian forces conducted a coordinated overnight drone campaign on July 29, targeting multiple Russian energy and logistics facilities across several regions. The strikes hit the Ryazan oil refinery—one of Russia's largest, with capacity of approximately 17 million tons annually—and the Perm refinery operated by Lukoil, according to Ukrainian military officials and independent monitoring channels. The attacks also struck a Wildberries logistics center in the Ryazan region, prompting evacuations of warehouse staff, and targeted additional sites including an export terminal and military enterprise in the Rostov region, as well as facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Russian regional officials confirmed the attacks caused fires at industrial sites after drone debris fell in the Ryazan area. Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov stated that 45 drones were intercepted overnight and that six people were hospitalized with injuries, none life-threatening. The Perm refinery strike damaged the AVT-5 crude distillation unit, a critical installation representing 34 percent of the facility's capacity. According to reporting, the Perm refinery has been repeatedly targeted since the start of the full-scale war; a previous strike on May 7 halted its output entirely.

Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, confirmed the evacuation of its Ryazan warehouse in accordance with safety procedures. The attack marked at least the 10th reported strike on Wildberries facilities in recent weeks. Ukrainian authorities have accused Wildberries of transporting military-related goods for Russia. Media reports estimate the drone campaign has disrupted approximately 10 percent of Wildberries' total warehouse capacity across multiple regions since attacks began on July 18.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attacks and framed them as economic pressure on Russia. "Russia must feel that every day of this war will only come at a higher cost for it," he stated on social media. The strikes occurred hours after Zelenskyy's visit to Washington on July 28, where he met with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump described the meeting as a "Great Honor" and stated that "many things were discussed" and the meeting "went very well," though few details emerged publicly.

Ukraine's sustained long-range drone campaign has repeatedly damaged major Russian oil facilities, contributing to fuel shortages that officials acknowledge embarrass the Kremlin. The Ryazan refinery had previously suspended operations after a May 15 strike. According to Russian sources, seven major refineries—in Tyumen, Syzran, Saratov, Omsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, and Ryazan—have halted or reduced output due to Ukrainian drone attacks since early July.

The attack underscores Ukraine's strategy of targeting rear-area logistics and energy infrastructure to sustain military pressure without matching Russia's larger conventional forces. Ukrainian officials have highlighted the country's domestically developed drone technology as a key capability enabling these deep strikes far from the front lines.