On the night of March 4, a series of strike drones targeted an oil refinery in Syzran, located in Russia’s Samara oblast.

Russian Telegram channels, including Baza and SHOT, reported the incident, which was first announced around 1 a.m. Kyiv time.

Videos shared on social media show the attack sparked a fire at the plant.

Local residents reported hearing explosions above the facility and posted footage of the blaze that followed the strikes.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing between three to five loud explosions, along with several bright flashes near the oil refinery.

The video also captured shots from small arms as Russian forces attempted to intercept the drones.

In the morning, Samara Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev confirmed the drone attack on the Syzran facility, though he did not disclose its name. He also stated that air defense systems had reportedly intercepted and shot down the drones.

The previous drone strike on this Russian oil refinery took place on the night of February 19.

A fire also broke out then and continued in the morning. According to Astra, the drone hit the primary oil processing unit (AVT-6), where the fire spread over 30 square meters. Operations at the facility were temporarily suspended.

The Syzran oil refinery was also hit on March 16, 2024, which also led to a fire at the oil product processing unit. The area of the fire was about 500 square meters.

Oil refinery

The Syzran oil refinery, part of Rosneft, was commissioned in 1942 and boasts an annual capacity of 8.9 million tons of oil. Its products include gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, and bitumen. Located 700 km from the Ukrainian border, it plays a significant role in the region’s energy infrastructure.