Russian Oil Refinery Catches Fire After Ukrainian Drone Strike
A major Russian oil refinery in Volgograd was hit by a Ukrainian drone attack for the second time in just a few days, with the extent of the damage still unclear on Monday morning after the attack occurred overnight.
Volgograd Governor Andrei Bocharov said that drone debris caused multiple fires at the site. He added that the fires were quickly contained, according to reports from the Russian news agency TASS.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for striking the Russian oil refinery in Volgograd and a gas processing plant in the Astrakhan region, according to Reuters.
The Lukoil refinery on the Volga River was previously attacked on Thursday evening.
Russian channels on the Telegram app reported a fire at a gas processing station near Astrakhan, close to the Caspian Sea. Local authorities only stated in general terms that energy facilities in the region had been targeted, according to the German news agency DPA.
Ukraine has been targeting the Russian oil industry with enhanced combat drones for several weeks. The goal is to disrupt fuel supplies for the enemy’s military and reduce the oil revenues that the Kremlin uses to fund its war efforts.
On Monday morning, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its air defense systems shot down 70 Ukrainian drones over six regions the previous night.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military revealed that Russia launched 71 combat drones after midnight, noting that 38 of the drones were shot down.
