Drones attacked Ufa: fire broke out in industrial zone and high-rise building. VIDEO+PHOTO

On the night of 2 April, unidentified drones attacked an industrial area in Ufa (Bashkortostan). It is believed that local oil refineries were targeted.

This was reported by Censor.NET, citing Russian Telegram channels.

According to locals, a fire has been observed in the northern part of Ufa, where three "Bashneft" refineries are located: ‘Bashneft-Novoyl’, ‘Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim’ and ‘Bashneft-UNPZ’.

Russian media also reported a fire in a high-rise building following a drone attack. Eyewitnesses reported hearing several explosions.

Flights were suspended at Ufa Airport overnight.

The Head of Bashkortostan, Radiy Khabirov, confirmed the drone attack on Ufa:

"Several drones were shot down as they approached the oil refineries; debris from one fell in the industrial zone, with no casualties. Firefighters are currently extinguishing a fire on the refinery premises. One drone struck a residential building on Gafuri Street. No one was killed or injured."

What is known about Bashneft’s three refineries?

"Bashneft-Novoyl", "Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim" and "Bashneft-UNPZ" form the core of the "Bashneft" oil refining complex (now part of "Rosneft") in Ufa. Together, they form one of the largest oil refining centres in the Russian Federation

General description of the complex:

All three plants are located in Ufa and operate as a single production cluster.
Their combined capacity is around 23.5 million tonnes of crude oil per year.
They process crude oil from Bashkortostan and Western Siberia, as well as gas condensate.
They produce petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, fuel oil, gases and petrochemical products

"Bashneft-Novoyl", "Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim" and "Bashneft-UNPZ" are important primarily because they operate as a single, powerful production hub and account for a significant volume of oil refining in Russia.

The key significance of these plants lies in the fact that they ensure a stable supply of fuel for the Russian domestic market. Without such complexes, there would be fuel shortages in large regions. Furthermore, they are integrated into the export system: part of the output is destined for foreign markets, generating foreign exchange earnings.

Their importance is also linked to their role in the energy and industrial infrastructure. They supply raw materials to the petrochemical industry, which are used to produce plastics, synthetic materials and other products. In this way, these refineries support not only the fuel sector but also an entire production chain.