Key Russian oil transport hub in Bashkortostan burns after drone attack
A large plume of smoke after a drone attack in Bashkortostan, July 23, 2026 (Photo: Exilenova+)
Drones attacked Russia again, targeting the Subkhankulovo oil pumping station in Bashkortostan, a key part of Transneft's pipeline system in the Urals, Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported on July 23.
The Subkhankulovo line production dispatch station, a division of Transneft-Ural’s Tuymazy oil pipeline department, was targeted in the attack.
A fire broke out after the strike, with one of the storage tanks catching fire. Footage from the scene shows thick black smoke rising high above the facility.
The station consists of three pumping stations and 10 storage tanks. Overall, the facility is responsible for operating four sections of oil pipelines with a combined length of more than 600 kilometers (373 miles).
The Subkhankulovo station is one of the key oil transportation hubs in Transneft’s Ural pipeline system. It pumps oil from fields in Western Siberia and Bashkortostan to refineries and major export pipelines.
Ukraine’s Defense Forces intensified strikes on targets in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories in the first half of 2026, including oil refineries and logistics facilities, resulting in the loss of about 40% of Russia’s oil refining capacity. The strikes have exacerbated fuel shortages in many Russian oblasts and in occupied Crimea, prompting local authorities to impose strict restrictions as lines formed at gas stations.
Amid the fuel shortages, Vladimir Putin’s approval rating fell by a record 5 percentage points to 66%, its lowest level in nearly four years, since the fall of 2022.
In July, Ukrainian drones struck warehouses belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries in several Russian oblasts for the first time.
On July 22, strikes were reported on logistics centers in Krasnodar Krai and Stavropol Krai.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
