Drones reportedly hit Russian Volgograd oil refinery - VIDEO

Ukrainian drones have reportedly struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd region, triggering a fire at the facility, according to local media and regional officials.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said earlier that air defense systems had shot down dozens of Ukrainian drones across several regions, though it did not initially include Volgograd in its report. Later, Volgograd regional governor Andrey Bocharov confirmed that damage had been recorded at an industrial site in southern Volgograd, referring to the refinery, News.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

Officials also reported damage to nearby civilian structures, including an apartment building and a kindergarten, but said there were no casualties. Emergency services were deployed to the area to assess damage and remove potential drone debris.

The refinery is operated by Russian oil company Lukoil and has previously been targeted in drone incidents. Reports indicate this is the first such strike on the facility in 2026.

Volgograd lies several hundred kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory. In recent months, Ukraine has increased long-range strikes targeting infrastructure inside Russia and in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine, aiming to weaken logistical and energy networks linked to military operations.

Ukraine has previously stated that energy facilities supporting Russia’s war effort are considered legitimate military targets. Meanwhile, Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of conducting attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure, reflecting the ongoing escalation in cross-border strikes linked to the broader conflict.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada