Series of explosions and large fire: strategic facility burning in Russia's Volgograd region
Illustrative photo: Fire following drone strike (Getty Images)
A nighttime drone strike sparked a fire at a strategic facility in Russia’s Volgograd region, according to regional channels in Volgograd and a statement from the region’s governor, Andrey Bocharov.
During the night of July 27, it was loud in Russia's Volgograd region as a drone attack reportedly triggered a fire near an oil storage facility.
Local social media channels shared videos of explosions and flames, which eyewitnesses claim erupted on the grounds of a site resembling an oil depot. The footage shows large plumes of black smoke rising into the night sky.
Meanwhile, regional governor Andrey Bocharov stated on the official channel of the Volgograd administration that air defense forces "operated as expected" and allegedly shot down all hostile drones targeting facilities in the Volgograd region.
"Air defense units of the Russian Ministry of Defense are operating routinely. There are no casualties. As a result of drone debris falling, the power supply was disrupted in the railway contact network in the Zhovtnevyi district," Bocharov claimed.
According to him, emergency and repair crews are currently working at the scene to assess the damage and address the aftermath.
While Russian sources did not confirm a direct strike on an oil depot, the scale of the fire seen in photos suggests that a fuel or logistics hub, critical for military operations, may have been the target.
There has been no official reaction from the Ukrainian side. The Armed Forces of Ukraine typically refrain from commenting on incidents inside Russian territory as part of a broader policy of strategic ambiguity.
The Volgograd region, despite being far from the front lines, has been targeted by aerial attacks before.
For context, on July 26, Russian forces launched a massive strike across Ukraine using missiles, aircraft, kamikaze drones, and artillery. The fiercest fighting was reported in the Pokrovsk direction.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as of 10:00 PM Kyiv time, there were 122 combat clashes. Russia launched 27 missiles, carried out 52 airstrikes, and dropped 93 guided bombs.
Over 1,300 kamikaze drones were also used, along with more than 3,500 artillery attacks.
