The Ukrainian Army has revealed it was behind the Christmas Day strike inside Russian territory.
18:26, Thu, Dec 25, 2025 Updated: 19:28, Thu, Dec 25, 2025
Smoke rising from the Russian oil plant (Image: TELEGRAM/Crimeanwind)
A major Russian oil refinery has been hit with British missiles, Ukrainian military and security officials said on Thursday. Storm Shadow cruise missiles launched by the Ukrainian Air Force successfully targeted the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery plant on Christmas Day, the Ukrainian General Staff claimed today.
The missiles caused "numerous blasts", the officials said on the messaging platform Telegram, adding the "target was hit". The extent of the damage to the plant is being clarified, they added. Pictures shared on Telegram by various accounts showed a large plume of black, thick smoke rising from the oil refinery.
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The Ukrainian officials claimed that the plant, located in the Rostov region of Russia, "is one of the largest suppliers of oil products" in the area and "is directly involved in supplying the Russian Federation's armed forces" fighting in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian General Staff claimed the plant supplies Russian troops with diesel fuel and aviation gas.
The UK sent Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine last year. The first report of these long-range cruise missiles being fired by Ukraine into Russia emerged in November 2024.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer didn't confirm that the UK-made missiles had been approved or used by Kyiv to strike Russian target within the Russian territory. But speaking to the House of Commons last year he failed to deny the reports, adding: "The UK’s support for Ukraine is always for self-defense. It is proportionate, coordinated and agile, and a response to Russia’s own actions, and it is in accordance with international law. Under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Ukraine has a clear right of self-defense against Russia's illegal attacks."
Reports of the firing of Storm Shadow missiles inside of Russia last year prompted a swift response from Russian official, with the country's ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, telling Sky News Britain was now "directly involved" in the war.
Ukraine claimed to have used Storm Shadow missiles also in October to attack a chemical plant in the Bryansk area.
Vladimir Putin ordered the unlawful and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia has repeatedly struck civilian infrastructure over the past few years. On Christmas Day,
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