Satellite imagery from 3 October, analyzed by the Crimean Wind monitoring group, confirms that the 1 October attack left the Sukhodolnaya oil pumping station on the outskirts of Oktyabrskiy near Rostov-on-Don completely offline.
The strike adds to mounting pressure on Russia's fuel distribution network as sustained Ukrainian attacks on oil infrastructure drive nationwide shortages and force Moscow to suspend fuel exports while importing refined products for the first time.
The 3 October satellite images confirmed extensive fire damage across the station grounds. Rostov Oblast Governor Yuriy Slyusar acknowledged that a drone hit the facility, causing fires on the building's roof and igniting grass in surrounding fields. The Crimean Wind monitoring group reported the facility remains completely non-operational.
Newly upgraded facility forced offline
Russian company Transneft installed a new 7,000 cubic meters per hour main pumping unit at Sukhodolnaya in 2023, making the station a critical node in the Kuibyshev-Lysychansk pipeline network. The pipeline infrastructure once served Ukrainian-controlled Lysychansk before Russian occupation.
Ukrainian forces have waged a months-long campaign targeting Russia’s oil infrastructure in 2025:
- 70 strikes on Russian territory in September alone under the DeepStrike program
- At least 28 major strikes on refineries, sea terminals, and pipelines since early August
- 38% of Russian refining capacity crippled by repeated attacks
- 500,000 barrels per day cut from Russia's refining output, according to International Energy Agency estimates
- 17% drop in Russian seaborne fuel exports in September compared to August
- At least 10 Russian regions facing widespread fuel shortages
- 40% of Russian market affected as private fuel stations shut down
- Russia forced to suspend all fuel import tariffs through June 2026 and ban exports
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Moscow has stopped publishing regional fuel availability data to prevent public concern, while facilities are unlikely to recover before mid-2026 even without accounting for future strikes.
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