(VOLGOGRAD) – Strike drones targeted the Lukoil oil refinery in Volgograd during the night of 10 to 11 February, causing a significant fire at the facility. Andrey Bocharov, the Governor of the Volgograd Region, confirmed that the plant had been hit. Local residents reported multiple explosions before a large blaze erupted in the southern sector of the city within the grounds of the refinery.
Visual evidence from the scene confirms that the specific target was the Lukoil Volgogradneftepererabotka plant. Analysis conducted by the Dnipro Osint Telegram channel indicates that the strike likely impacted fuel and lubricant storage tanks. Following the explosions, the refinery initiated an emergency blowdown procedure, which resulted in flare stacks operating at maximum capacity to vent internal pressure.
This operation represents the ninth successful strike by the Ukrainian Defence Forces against this particular facility. Over the last two years, consistent drone raids have repeatedly forced the plant to halt production. A previous engagement on 6 November 2025 resulted in documented damage despite official claims from local authorities that the threat had been successfully neutralised. Satellite imagery later refuted those official denials.
Earlier incidents in 2025 further depleted the capacity of the plant. On 18 September, more than ten explosions caused severe equipment damage, leading to a temporary cessation of the production cycle. In August 2025, strikes disabled two process pipelines and a primary crude oil processing unit. In May of the same year, nighttime raids damaged the ELOU AVT 1 and ELOU AVT 6 units while severing critical control cables for air cooling systems. These followed a January 2025 strike that ignited a major processing unit and a February 2024 attack on the ELOU AVT 5 unit which required over three hours to extinguish.
The Lukoil Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery is the largest producer of petroleum products in the Southern Federal District of Russia and a vital link in the logistics chain of the Russian dictator. Geographically, it is the major refinery situated closest to the current front line, making it essential for the supply of diesel and aviation kerosene to occupying forces in southern Ukraine and Crimea. With a processing capacity of nearly 15 million tons of crude oil per year, the facility remains a high priority target for Ukrainian forces aiming to degrade the Russian military machine.
