# Ukrainian drones hit Yaroslavl oil refinery and damage Tu‑95MS bombers at Engels‑2

*Friday, August 28, 2026 at 12:09 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-08-28T12:09:49.213Z (2h ago)
**Category**: conflict | **Region**: Eastern Europe
**Importance**: 9/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/16072.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Ukraine says it struck a major oil refinery in Yaroslavl and damaged Tu‑95MS strategic bombers at Russia’s Engels‑2 airbase, about 1,000 kilometers from the front line. The attacks extend the war deep into Russia’s energy and strategic aviation infrastructure.

Ukraine’s war is reaching deeper into Russia’s heartland. Kyiv says its forces have struck one of Russia’s largest oil refineries in the Yaroslavl region and badly damaged at least one Tu‑95MS strategic bomber at Engels‑2 airbase, more than 1,000 kilometers from the front. The twin blows target both Russia’s ability to launch long‑range missile strikes and the fuel infrastructure that underpins its war effort and economy.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on 28 August that Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) special units hit a Tu‑95MS missile carrier at the Engels‑2 base in Saratov region, while Ukrainian forces also struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl. Satellite imagery reviewed by independent analysts shows a Tu‑95MS at Engels‑2 with severe wing damage following what is described as a kamikaze drone attack. Earlier imagery indicated another Tu‑95MS at the same base, reportedly used for training flights, had already been left beyond repair by a previous strike.

In Yaroslavl, Ukrainian attack drones hit the Slavneft‑YANOS refinery early on 28 August, igniting fires and sending multiple columns of smoke over the complex, according to visual evidence from the scene. The facility processes around 15 million tons of crude per year, placing it among Russia’s top refineries by capacity. Russian authorities had not fully detailed the extent of the damage by midday, but visible fires and emergency response activity pointed to at least a temporary disruption in operations.

The military implications are significant. Tu‑95MS bombers, which Russia no longer manufactures, are a central platform for launching cruise missiles deep into Ukraine from airspace well inside Russian territory. Taking even one out of service for the long term reduces Russia’s capacity to sustain such strikes. Engels‑2 is a key base for Russia’s strategic aviation, including both Tu‑95MS and newer Tu‑160M bombers, making its vulnerability to drones a concern for planners responsible for long‑range strike and nuclear‑capable forces.

Hitting the Yaroslavl refinery adds pressure to an energy system already strained by previous Ukrainian attacks on fuel depots and processing plants. Even temporary outages can force Russia to reroute crude, adjust exports, or tighten domestic supplies. For global markets, each successful strike adds another data point that Russian energy infrastructure is exposed to low‑cost drones, a risk that traders and insurers must factor into assessments of supply reliability.

These operations form part of a broader Ukrainian strategy to carry the war into areas Russia has treated as safe sanctuary. In parallel with the Engels and Yaroslavl strikes, Ukraine’s General Staff reported attacks on Russian radar systems and communications equipment in occupied Crimea, as well as UAV command posts and a training center across the occupied south.

Next indicators to watch include Russian moves to harden critical sites with additional air defenses or dispersal, any sustained impact on refined product output from Yaroslavl, and whether Ukraine attempts follow‑on strikes against other strategic aviation hubs or energy assets.