Volgograd Oil Refinery Halts Operations Following Ukrainian Drone Attack

The Volgograd Oil Refinery, owned by Lukoil, has suspended operations following an attack by Ukrainian drones.

This was reported by Reuters.

According to the agency’s sources, the strike halted the No. 1 primary oil distillation unit, which accounts for about 40% of the plant’s production capacity. Units No. 5 and No. 6 also ceased operations.

The plant was attacked on the night of May 29. At that time, local residents reported numerous explosions in the city on social media.

Subsequently, the Governor Andrey Bocharov confirmed the drone attack on the region.

According to him, “falling debris” from the UAVs caused fires at a synthetic fiber plant in the city of Volzhsky, as well as at fuel and energy facilities in southern Volgograd. In addition, localized fires were reported.

“Lukoil-Volgograd Oil Refinery” is the largest producer of petroleum products in Russia’s Southern Federal District.

The plant has a capacity of 14.8 million tons of petroleum products per year. It specializes in deep oil refining and the production of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, fuel oil, bitumen, and other petroleum products.

The facility is located approximately 475 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

This is at least the tenth strike on the Volgograd Oil Refinery since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier, on May 31, it was reported that strike drones of the Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully struck the Saratov Oil Refinery.

According to local residents, a large plume of smoke from the fire is visible dozens of kilometers away from the refinery.