Ukraine struck the Yaroslavl refinery and an airfield in Rostov: General Staff reported the results (Updated)
The Defense Forces of Ukraine confirmed the strike on the oil refinery "Slavneft-YANOS" in Yaroslavl and the military airfield "Rostov-on-Don (Central)" during the night attack on September 17. The refinery's primary oil refining unit was damaged, and at the airfield – three transport aircraft and three helicopters.
Earlier, Russian authorities confirmed the damage to the Yaroslavl refinery, and Astra through OSINT analysis determined that a large-scale fire in Rostov-on-Don occurred on the territory of the military airfield. Now the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have officially confirmed both strikes and reported their results.
According to the General Staff, on the territory of the "Slavneft-YANOS" refinery, a strike and fire were recorded at a primary oil refining unit. Such units are one of the basic elements of the refinery's technological process, where crude oil undergoes primary separation into fractions for further processing.
"Slavneft-YANOS" belongs to the largest oil refining enterprises of Russia. Its capacity is about 15 million tons of oil per year. The plant produces automotive gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, fuel oil, bitumen and other petroleum products.
The General Staff noted that the enterprise is also involved in meeting the needs of the Russian armed forces.
Earlier, the governor of the Yaroslavl region, Mikhail Evraev, acknowledged the damage to the refinery and reported fires at the enterprise. According to him, during the night attack, 65 drones were allegedly shot down over the region. Astra, based on eyewitness footage, identified the attacked object as "Slavneft-YANOS" even before official Ukrainian confirmation.
The plant has repeatedly become a target of Ukrainian strikes. According to Astra's calculations, before this attack in 2026, fires on its territory after strikes were recorded at least eight times.
Three aircraft and three helicopters hit in Rostov
The General Staff also confirmed the strike on the military airfield "Rostov-on-Don (Central)". After the attack, a fire broke out on its territory with subsequent detonation.
According to clarified data from the Ukrainian side, two An-26 transport aircraft, one An-12 transport aircraft and three helicopters were hit at the airfield.
This information was separately confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to him, the strike on the military airfield in Rostov was carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine.
"The Security Service also precisely targeted the military airfield in Rostov - the destruction of an An-12, two An-26 aircraft and three more helicopters has been confirmed", - the president reported.
Zelenskyy also said that the strike on the Yaroslavl refinery was the result of a joint operation by the SBU, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Foreign Intelligence Service.
Astra, during the night, using geolocation of eyewitness footage, determined that one of the seats of a large fire in Rostov was located on the territory of the "Rostov-on-Don - Central" airfield. After additional analysis, the publication concluded that the fire could have arisen near the aircraft and helicopter parking area.
Russian authorities did not publicly acknowledge the hit to the military airfield itself. The governor of the Rostov region, Yuri Slyusar, reported only about a fire as a result of the attack and damage to a transformer substation. Because of this, power supply was disrupted in four districts of Rostov-on-Don.
Thus, the Ukrainian side has officially confirmed the results of both strikes, which Russian sources and OSINT analysts reported in the morning: the Yaroslavl refinery was hit in the technological equipment for oil refining, and at the military airfield in Rostov - six aircraft units.
Based on materials from: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy
