Explosions were reported in the Russian city of Yaroslavl on the morning of May 19, according to the regional governor and local Telegram channels. Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Evraev confirmed a Ukrainian drone attack and said at least one drone hit an industrial facility, causing a fire.
"Our region came under an enemy attack by Ukrainian UAVs," Evraev wrote on Telegram. As a precautionary measure, he said, authorities closed traffic on the road out of Yaroslavl toward Moscow — specifically from the intersection of Moskovsky Prospekt and the South-Western Ring Road.
Local residents reported hearing explosions, the Russian Telegram channel Astra reported, citing people on the ground.
Strike and Response
Evraev said most of the drones were shot down, but one got through. "The majority of UAVs were intercepted, but a hit on an industrial facility occurred. The fire is being contained by emergency services," he stated. He later confirmed there were no casualties and that traffic toward Moscow had been restored.
The Target
Yaroslavl is home to the Yaroslavl oil pumping station and the Yaroslavsky refinery — operated by Slavneft-YANOS — which processes approximately 15 million tonnes of crude oil per year and ranks fourth in Russia by refining volume, making it one of the country's key petroleum infrastructure assets.
This was not the first strike on the facility. According to Ukrainska Pravda, drones had previously hit the same refinery on 8 May and 13 May.
Aviation Disruptions
Russia's aviation authority Rosaviatsiya announced airport closures overnight on 18 May. As of the morning of 19 May, restrictions on takeoffs and landings remained in effect at airports in Yaroslavl, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Pskov, Ivanovo, and Cherepovets, Rosaviatsiya reported via Telegram.
