Ukraine Hits 17.1-Million-Ton Ryazan Refinery, Killing 3 in 355-Drone Assault

10 articles · Updated · Kyiv Independent · May 15

A massive fire engulfed Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery after what Russian officials and local channels described as a large overnight Ukrainian drone attack; the regional governor said three people were killed and 12 injured.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it downed 355 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Moscow’s mayor reported five intercepted near the capital and two major Moscow airports briefly halted flights.
Smoke was also reported near a military airfield in Yeysk and explosions were heard in occupied Crimea, suggesting the strikes hit military and energy infrastructure across several regions.
The attack followed a Russian missile-and-drone strike on Kyiv a day earlier that killed at least 21 people; President Volodymyr Zelensky had said Ukraine’s military was preparing response options.
Ryazan’s refinery, about 450 kilometers from Ukraine and producing 17.1 million tons a year, has become a recurring target in Kyiv’s broader campaign to disrupt Russian energy revenue.

How might Russia respond to Ukraine's escalating deep strikes, and could this trigger new forms of retaliation or defense innovation?

Could Ukraine’s drone campaign against Russian energy infrastructure fundamentally reshape the conduct and outcome of modern wars?