Ukraine carried out a drone strike on a Lukoil oil refinery in Volgograd, Russia, igniting a fire at the facility that plays a key role in supplying fuel to the Russian military.
The refinery has a design capacity of 300,000 barrels per day, feeding much of southern Russia and exporting a portion of its output.
This strike marks the first major attack on Russia’s oil refining sector in 2026, following a series of precise Ukrainian attacks last year that led to refinery shutdowns and disrupted oil exports. These operations are part of Kyiv’s strategy to reduce Kremlin revenue from energy and hinder fuel supply to Russian forces.
The Volgograd regional administration confirmed a fire at an industrial facility following the drone strike but did not explicitly name the refinery.
NASA satellite imagery shows multiple fires in the refinery on the night of February 10–11, with no similar activity the previous day.
Despite a temporary slowdown in Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil in January, Russia continued heavy strikes on energy infrastructure across Ukraine, causing widespread power outages and disruptions to heating and water services during a harsh winter.
The strike underscores Ukraine’s ongoing strategy of targeting Russian energy infrastructure to weaken both Moscow’s economy and military capabilities, as the conflict approaches its fifth year.
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