Russian forces have launched a new campaign targeting petrol stations in Kyiv using jet-powered drones, marking an escalation in attacks against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine’s capital. Strikes on Friday morning hit at least two facilities operated by state-owned company Ukrnafta, resulting in casualties and damage to surrounding areas. The attacks occurred during rush hour and followed a similar strike on Thursday, representing the first instances of such operations against fuel stations in the city.
Local officials reported that the Friday assaults killed at least two people and injured 12 others. At one location in the Pochaina neighborhood in northern Kyiv, three individuals were wounded including the manager of an adjacent car wash and the driver of a passing vehicle. Witnesses described hearing multiple explosions at that site, with local authorities indicating Russia had conducted a double-tap attack on the facility. The destruction was severe, with vehicles left damaged and abandoned at the scene.
All three strikes this week targeted facilities operated by Ukrnafta, prompting a statement from leadership at the company’s parent organization, Naftogaz, characterizing the attacks as terror directed at civilians rather than military operations. Intelligence suggests a coordinated campaign, as a list circulating on social media earlier in the week identified 18 petrol stations in Kyiv as potential targets, with three having been struck. Another strike in Desnianskyi district, one of the capital’s most densely populated areas, resulted in no fatalities, reportedly due to workers taking shelter when air-raid sirens activated.
The campaign reflects a broader pattern of Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy and fuel infrastructure, though previous strikes had primarily focused on facilities in eastern and southern regions. Ukraine has responded with its own operations against Russian oil infrastructure, with special forces reporting strikes on facilities at the Caspian Sea port of Makhachkala this week. The petrol station attacks come as Kyiv continues facing sustained bombardment from drones and missiles while Ukraine’s air defense resources remain strained.
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