Drones attacked Russian Volgograd: fire broke out in oil refinery area. VIDEO
On the night of 26 December, drones attacked Volgograd. The local airport was closed due to the attack.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to Russian Telegram channels and Exilenova+.
Andrey Bocharov, governor of the Volgograd region, wrote that Russian air defence forces are repelling a massive attack by unmanned aerial vehicles.
He also reported that there was allegedly no damage to facilities, but the video clearly shows smoke and, possibly, a fire. According to preliminary information, it is in the area of the oil refinery.
In the morning, the Russian Ministry of Defence stated that 34 Ukrainian drones had allegedly been shot down over the Volgograd region.
What is known about the oil refinery in Volgograd?
The "Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka" oil refinery is one of the largest oil refineries in Russia. Primary processing capacity is about 15.7 million tonnes per year.
It is part of the Russian company Lukoil.
- Key characteristics:
- Share in Russian refining: about 5-6% of the total capacity of the Russian Federation;
- Products: petrol, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, fuel oil, other petroleum products;
- Raw material supply: processes a mixture of West Siberian and Lower Volga oil supplied via the Samara-Tikhoretsk pipeline.
It is the largest producer of petroleum products in the Southern Federal District of the Russian Federation and is important for the region's energy supply.
The plant's products are used both in the civilian economy and to supply military equipment and logistics to the Russian Armed Forces.
Damage to the refinery in 2025
During the Russian-Ukrainian war, the plant has repeatedly been the target of attacks by Ukrainian drones and special operations forces:
-
In January 2025, the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed a strike on the "Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka" refinery, where fires and explosions were reported in the vicinity of the plant.
-
In August 2025, drones caused fires at the plant, temporarily halting oil intake and the operation of key installations.
-
In September, the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces struck the refinery, causing the plant to shut down for a period of time.
These strikes are part of Ukraine's strategy to weaken Russia's ability to maintain its military machine by affecting logistics and fuel supplies.
