Zelensky Hails ‘Fair Response’ as Orsk and Perm Oil Sites Hit in Deep Strikes

Drones struck oil infrastructure in Russia’s Orsk and Perm, triggering fires at key facilities, including a major refinery and a pipeline station. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Drones reportedly struck the Perm Linear Production Dispatch Station. Photo: Exilenova+ / Telegram Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Drones attacked two Russian cities – Orsk and Perm – hitting an oil refinery and a facility belonging to an oil pipeline company Wednesday morning, April 29. According to the Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+, drones likely targeted a local oil refinery in Orsk in the morning. The city is located more than 1,400 km from the Ukrainian border. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Later, OSINT analysts from the Russian outlet Astra confirmed that the Orsknefteorgsintez was hit. It is one of Russia’s largest refineries, processing around 5–6 million tons of oil annually. Orsk mayor Artem Vorobyov confirmed the attack and urged residents to stay indoors. Orenburg region governor Yevgeny Solntsev said several industrial sites were targeted but did not specify which. He added that no casualties were reported and that four drones were “shot down.” Flight restrictions were imposed at Orsk airport. In Perm, local authorities confirmed an attack on one industrial site where a fire broke out. Social media reports suggested that a facility belonging to Transneft was on fire. Perm region governor Dmitry Makhonin confirmed that a drone struck an industrial site in the Perm municipal district. “Workers have been evacuated. There are no injuries. A fire broke out at the facility,” he said. Exilenova+, citing OSINT analysis, reported that the fire may be at the Perm Linear Production Dispatch Station (LPDS) in the Malinovskaya area – a key node in the Transneft pipeline system responsible for pumping, storing, and distributing oil through trunk pipelines. Other Topics of Interest New ‘Mindich Tapes’ Link Top Officials to $100M Energoatom Corruption Case The recordings are part of the so-called “Midas” case — a money-laundering scheme allegedly orchestrated by businessman and media producer Timur Mindich, reportedly tied to Volodymyr Zelensky.   The facility supplies crude to the Perm refinery and other industrial hubs and connects to export routes via ports including Primorsk, Ust-Luga, Novorossiysk, and Tuapse. “It is burning intensely in Perm. The station has some of the largest tanks in Russia, so the fire may last a long time,” Exilenova+ wrote. The channel also reported “oil rain” falling in parts of Perm, similar to earlier reports from Tuapse. Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky published footage of the aftermath of the strike in Perm, effectively confirming Ukraine’s involvement. He said he had received a report from the acting Head of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) Major General Yevhen Khmara on “Ukrainian long-range sanctions” – a new stage in the use of Ukrainian weapons to reduce Russia’s war capacity. “I am grateful to the SBU for their accuracy. The distance is over 1,500 km in a straight line,” Zelensky wrote. “We will expand these ranges. These are fair Ukrainian responses to Russian terror,” he added, saying the strikes reduce Russia’s military production, logistics, and oil export capacity. “It is time to move to diplomacy, and Moscow must hear this signal. Glory to Ukraine.” Meanwhile, authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region said the fire at the Tuapse refinery, owned by Rosneft, had been contained early in the morning.  “The fire was contained at 7. 05 a.m. As of the morning of April 29, 312 people and 73 pieces of equipment were involved in extinguishing the ‘emergency,’ including units from the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations for the Krasnodar Territory,” the report said. On Tuesday, large-scale fires broke out in Tuapse after a drone attack hit an oil refinery and a marine terminal, prompting local authorities to announce evacuations over fears of an environmental disaster. The governor of Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratyev, wrote that a “large-scale fire” erupted at the refinery following what he described as “an enemy drone strike.”  He said 164 personnel and 46 units of equipment were deployed to fight the fire, while evacuation measures were launched for nearby residents. A temporary shelter was set up at a local school. Ukrainian monitoring channel CyberBoroshno reported that at least four storage tanks were burning after the strike, warning of possible fire spread to adjacent facilities. Later, Exilenova+ said additional explosions were observed, with the fire expanding significantly. Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed damage to the Tuapse oil refinery, saying Defense Forces carried out a drone strike as part of efforts to reduce Russia’s “military-economic potential.” It added that a fire broke out at the facility and damage assessments were ongoing. Later reports indicated that burning petroleum products spilled from damaged storage tanks onto nearby roads, damaging several vehicles. Russian outlet Astra said fuel likely leaked from large storage tanks, with eyewitness footage showing contamination spreading along a city street. Residents reported heavy smoke visible even from the Krasnaya Polyana mountain resort, about 105 km away. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov to immediately fly to Tuapse. Regional authorities declared a state of emergency in the Tuapse Municipal District. The strike marked the third attack on the refinery in less than two weeks , following earlier hits on April 16 and April 20, which also caused major fires and disrupted operations at one of Russia’s key Black Sea fuel export facilities. Julia is a Deputy Head of News and correspondent for Kyiv Post who has previously worked as a parliamentary editor, journalist, and news editor. She has specialized in covering the work of the Ukrainian parliament, government, and law enforcement agencies.