Ukraine struck 15 Russian plants, oil refineries and terminals in March

A total of 15 Russian strategic facilities, specifically five plants and 10 oil refining sites, were struck in March 2026 in what has become one of the largest campaigns of its kind implemented by Ukrainian defence forces.

Source: Ukrainian Defence Ministry

Details: Ukrainian defence forces carried out a series of large-scale strikes in March 2026 against facilities belonging to Russia's military-industrial complex.

The operations covered territory from occupied Crimea and Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts to deep rear areas of the Russian Federation, including Leningrad Oblast.

Five strategic factories were hit with precision strikes over the course of the month.

These included the Kremniy El plant in Bryansk, one of Russia's largest microelectronics companies. Ukrainian forces hit a production building and a component warehouse, disrupting the supply chain for microchips used in Iskander missiles and air defence systems for up to six months.

Ukraine hit the Aviastar aircraft plant in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk, damaging a parking area and a protective climate-controlled shelter, and striking several Il-76 and Il-78 aircraft.

Aviastar is a key plant for the production and maintenance of heavy transport aircraft used for Russian troop logistics and aerial refuelling of strategic aviation.

A strike on the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Staraya Russia hit hangars used for Il-76 aircraft and damaged an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft.

This is a major Russian aviation repair centre and disabling it could critically slow the replenishment of the occupiers' aircraft fleet, the Ukrainian defence ministry said.

A large fire was recorded after a Ukrainian strike on the Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works.

The facility is involved in the production of artillery shell casings, including casting and primary processing of large-calibre blanks, as well as in the production and repair of armoured steel for military equipment used by the Russian forces.

Ukraine also hit the only servicing centre for S-400 air defence systems in temporarily occupied Crimea, the Granit innovation centre in the city of Sevastopol.

Quote: "This left Russia unable to carry out rapid repairs to complex surface-to-air missile systems on the peninsula, creating prolonged gaps in its air defence cover."

More details: Long-range strikes on Russia in March halted a significant share of Russian oil exports on the Baltic Sea. Overall, deep strikes hit 10 oil industry facilities, including Russian refineries, terminals and ports.

These included the Albashneft and Afipsky oil refineries, key suppliers of diesel fuel for Russia's southern group of forces.

The Port Kavkaz and Sheskharis oil fuel terminal in the Russian city of Novorossiysk are critical oil and fuel transhipment hubs used to supply the Black Sea Fleet.

The Saratov refinery and Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim are major processing plants that support Russia's internal military reserves and the stability of its fuel market.

The Kirishi and Yaroslavl refineries are key sources of aviation kerosene for airfields in Russia's western and northern districts.

Transneft Port Primorsk and Novatek Ust-Luga are Russia's strategic terminals on the Baltic Sea. The ministry said strikes on them blocked foreign currency revenues from exports and disrupted energy logistics.

In addition, Ukrainian forces hit 14 fuel and lubricant depots. These sites were used to refuel tanks and armoured personnel carriers directly before deployment to positions.

Background:

• The Defence Ministry of Ukraine said that coordinated strikes by Ukraine's defence forces on infrastructure facilities in Russia's Leningrad Oblast have blocked a significant portion of Russia's oil exports via the Baltic Sea.
• Ukraine's Ministry of Defence reported earlier that over the course of a week, Ukraine's defence forces had struck two Russian aviation plants, and in total, since the start of the full-scale invasion, five such strategic facilities have been hit.
• During January and February, Ukraine's defence forces also struck three major Russian military plants.
• In January and February alone, Ukraine's defence forces carried out more than 40 strikes on oil and gas infrastructure sites and other targets on Russian territory, hitting 13 refineries and other facilities in the oil and gas sector.
• Last year, Ukrainian drones attacked Russian oil refineries at least 81 times. As a result, by early autumn, they had lost, according to various estimates, between 10% and 20% of their capacity, while downtime in Russia's primary oil refining reached record levels.

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