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Jun 18, 20261
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Public Chamber Member Condemns Thwarted Attack on Russian Oil Refinery as Betrayal of Community

Aelita Barishyeva, a member of the Public Chamber of Komi Republic, condemned a planned drone attack on the Uhtasinskoye Oil Refinery that was thwarted by Russian security forces in late April. The attack, directed by Ukrainian operatives, involved a former aide to a Russian Communist Party deputy and represented a betrayal of the local community that depends on the refinery for employment and essential services.





Quick Facts
Who
Aelita Barishyeva
What
Planned drone attack on Uhtasinskoye Oil Refinery
When
Late April 2026
Where
Uhtasinskoye Oil Refinery
- Planned drone attack on Uhtasinskoye Oil Refinery
- Attack thwarted by FSB
- Public criticism of attack plot
- Attack involved homemade explosives on drones
- Aelita Barishyeva
Aelita Barishyeva, a member of the Public Chamber of the Komi Republic and head of the 'Force of Good' foundation, strongly criticized a planned attack on the Uhtasinskoye Oil Refinery, characterizing it as a betrayal of the local community. Barishyeva emphasized that the refinery is vital to thousands of families in the region, providing employment, heating, and fuel. She stated that the attack represented a conscious choice by perpetrators to act against their own city, neighbors, and republic. The Federal Security Service (FSB) thwarted the attack in late April, preventing a drone assault armed with homemade explosives on the facility. One of the operatives involved was identified as Vladimir Evstigneev, a former aide to Oleg Mikhailov, a Communist Party (KPRF) deputy in Russia's State Duma. According to FSB reports, the two men were acting under the direction of Ukrainian handlers and had been preparing the attack using unmanned aerial vehicles with improvised explosives. Barishyeva's comments underscore local perspectives on the attack as not merely a security matter but as an act of violence against the community that depends on the facility.
Why This Matters
This incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to coordinated drone attacks and the human cost of such plots. For readers, it underscores how cross-border sabotage operations target not just strategic assets but entire communities that depend on them for economic survival and basic services. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for assessing regional security challenges and the impact of hybrid warfare on civilian populations.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 18, 2026
WireAelita Barishyeva publicly condemned the attack plot as a betrayal of the local community