Ukrainian drone strikes have aimed at Russian energy infrastructure, igniting fires at oil refineries

Ukraine conducted drone strikes overnight targeting fuel and energy infrastructure in Russia, leading to fires at an oil refinery in Volgograd and causing disruptions at multiple airports, according to Russian officials on Monday.

Governor Andrei Bocharov reported that “the air defense forces of the defense ministry successfully repelled a significant assault by drone aircraft in the Volgograd region,” as stated in a message from the regional administration on Telegram.

Debris from the drones ignited several fires at an oil refinery, although Bocharov did not specify which facility was affected, noting that the fires had been brought under control. A Russian news channel, Baza, which has ties to the country’s security services, reported that a series of explosions were heard near a refinery operated by Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil producer.

The Russian defense ministry announced that its air defense units intercepted and destroyed 70 Ukrainian drones over its territory during the night, with 25 intercepted in the Volgograd region, 27 in the Rostov region, and seven in the Astrakhan region.

In Astrakhan, the drone assault resulted in a fire, as confirmed by the regional governor, who did not specify the nature of the blaze. “Ukrainian armed forces attempted a drone attack on facilities in the region, including fuel and energy sites,” stated Governor Igor Babushkin on Telegram. “There were no reported casualties.” Baza also indicated that Ukraine targeted a gas processing plant near Astrakhan. Reuters has not been able to independently verify Baza’s claims regarding the incidents in Volgograd and Astrakhan.

Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, has temporarily halted flights from the airports in Astrakhan, Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Saratov, and Ulyanovsk to maintain air safety. According to a statement on Telegram, most of these flights have since been resumed.

There has been no immediate response from Ukraine regarding the attacks on Russia, and the full extent of these actions remains uncertain. Kyiv has previously indicated that its operations within Russian territory are focused on targeting critical energy, transportation, and military infrastructure that supports Moscow’s military initiatives.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has stated that these actions are also a reaction to Russia’s ongoing bombardment of Ukraine, which has persisted since the onset of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.