Russian oil refinery in Samara oblast ablaze after suspected drone attack - VIDEO
A major oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast erupted in flames overnight following a suspected drone strike, Russian media outlet Astra reported Thursday.
The Novokuibyshevsk refinery, operated by state-owned Rosneft, has an annual production capacity of 8.3 million metric tons and lies about 900 kilometers (560 miles) from the Ukraine-Russia border. Video and photographs shared on Russian Telegram channels showed massive explosions, thick smoke, and fire engulfing the facility, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The refinery had reportedly halted production earlier this month after sustaining damage from previous Ukrainian drone attacks. Sources told Reuters that its main refining unit was already shut down before the latest incident.
Russian authorities have not yet issued an official statement, and the reports could not be independently verified.
Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes on Russian infrastructure in recent weeks. Reuters reported that Ukrainian forces targeted 10 Russian refineries in August, disrupting facilities responsible for around 17% of Russia’s oil processing capacity — roughly 1.1 million barrels per day.
Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil processor, has been under Western sanctions since 2014.
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