Fire after drone attack reported in Volgograd - Possible target identified
Illustrative photo: fire at an oil refinery (Volgograd region branch of Russia’s emergency ministry)
Russia’s Volgograd is under attack from unknown drones. A local oil refinery may be the target, according to Russian media.
Around 10:00 PM Kyiv time, Volgograd residents began reporting loud sounds over several parts of the city.
Almost immediately, messages about unidentified drones appeared on local channels, even though no air-raid alert was issued in the city or region.
Soon after, residents started posting reports and videos of fires in the Volgograd region.
An oil refinery may have been the target, though there is still no official confirmation.
Volgograd is home to the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery. It processes more than 15 million tons of oil annually, accounting for nearly 6% of Russia’s total refining capacity.
Local channels also reported that a residential high-rise in Volgograd was struck, likely by air-defense fire.
Previous attacks on Volgograd
Explosions were heard in Volgograd on 6 November and widely discussed in local channels. Governor Andrei Bocharov later confirmed a fire in the area around the refinery.
In August, Ukraine’s General Staff reported strikes on the Volgograd refinery that triggered major fires.
At the end of October, Ukraine’s Security Service chief Vasyl Maliuk said Ukrainian forces had already carried out 160 strikes on refineries and other facilities deep inside Russia. In just September and October, several key refineries were hit, leading to a 90% drop in oil production and a fuel shortage exceeding 20%, he said.
Maliuk emphasized that, under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s directives, the targets are legitimate, oil extraction and refining infrastructure used to support Russia’s war.
