Drones strike Bashkortostan, fire reported near Ufa refinery

Drones attacked Russia's Republic of Bashkortostan on Wednesday morning, September 23, with explosions reported and a fire near the Ufa oil refinery. Local residents reported a UAV attack. The Telegram channel Astra reported explosions heard in Ufa, while OSINT analysts noted visible smoke near the Ufa refinery, possibly from a thermal power plant. Ufa airport temporarily restricted flights. Monitoring channel Exilenova+ said three refineries are located in Ufa's industrial zone, prompting heightened Russian defenses. A drone attack on a Bashkortostan refinery was also reported on September 21, with smoke seen over Ufa. In August 2026, enterprises Bashneft-Novoil, Bashneft-UNPZ, and Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim in Ufa were struck.