Ukrainian drones ignite major oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd region

Wednesday 11 February 2026 - 08:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Ukrainian drones ignite major oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd region

Ukrainian drones struck a major oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd region overnight from February 10 to 11, sparking a fire at the facility operated by Lukoil. Russian media described it as the first attack on the refinery this year, as both sides continue targeting each other’s energy infrastructure during one of the harshest winters of the war.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted 48 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions during the night but did not list the Volgograd region among them. A drone alert was issued there around 9 p.m. Kyiv time, prompting Russian aviation authorities to temporarily close the local airport.

Footage of the blaze began circulating shortly after midnight on February 11, with monitoring channels reporting that unidentified drones had hit the refinery. Residents in several Volgograd districts, including Krasnoarmiyskyi, Sovetskyi and Voroshylovskyi, reported hearing powerful explosions. By early morning, Russian channels indicated that blasts were still audible as the drone assault continued.

The Volgograd refinery, with a processing capacity of about 14.8 million tons per year, ranks among the largest in southern Russia. The plant produces diesel, gasoline and aviation fuel, supplies that are critical to Russian military logistics.

Ukraine has increasingly deployed long range drones deep into Russian territory, targeting refineries, storage sites and pipelines in an effort to curb oil export revenues that finance Moscow’s war effort. Kyiv considers such energy facilities legitimate military targets. The Volgograd refinery has been struck several times during the conflict, with earlier attacks in 2025 damaging key refining units.

Industry analysts estimate that the sustained drone campaign has reduced Russia’s refining capacity by roughly 10 percent, contributing to domestic fuel shortages and limiting exports of petroleum products.

At the same time, Russia has stepped up strikes on Ukraine’s energy network. In recent days, Russian drone attacks hit the Odesa region, cutting electricity to more than 95,000 people and forcing critical infrastructure to rely on backup generators. On February 7, Russia launched more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles at Ukrainian power plants and substations, triggering emergency blackouts in several regions.