A fire erupted early on 15 March near the Sarepta railway station in the Russian city of Volgograd following a drone attack reportedly targeting a nearby oil refinery, Russian news channel Astra reported.
The Volgograd oil refinery’s capacity is 15.7 million tons annually. It produces essential fuels like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel while supporting the Russian energy infrastructure and military logistics.
Ukraine has not confirmed the attack on Russia overnight. However, Ukraine has regularly been attacking Russian military bases and energy facilities since Russian full-scale invasion. Ukraine considers Russian oil refineries legitimate military targets, as fossil fuel products and profits support Moscow’s war effort.
Local residents reported hearing multiple explosions during the attack. The fire broke out in a field close to a Gazprom gas station and the railway station, several kilometers from the refinery, according to geolocated footage published by Astra.
The targeted Volgograd refinery, owned by Russian oil giant Lukoil, has faced previous attacks. Ukrainian forces struck the facility on 15 February and 31 January, according to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
Reports indicate that grass near the oil refinery caught fire, though it remains unclear if the refinery itself was hit. Social media posts show images of a substantial fire in the area.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported its defense downed 64 drones over Volgograd Oblast, 38 drones over the territory of Voronezh Oblast, 14 drones over the Belgorod Oblast, seven drones over the Bryansk Oblast, two drones over the Rostov Oblast, one drone over the Kursk Oblast overnight on 15 March.
Similar incidents have become increasingly common in Russia. Just the previous night, a fire occurred at the Tuapse oil refinery. On 9 March, Ukrainian forces hit an oil refinery in Russia’s Ryazan Oblast, and on 10 March, strikes were reported on the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Samara Oblast.
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