Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday mutually exchanged drone and missile attacks, targeting energy and transport facilities. Ukrainian drones struck Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery in Russia’s southern Volgograd region, causing strong fire and explosions and the subsequent closure of the airport in the city, local Telegram channels reported. With an annual capacity of about 15 million tons, the refinery is the largest producer of petroleum products in the Southern Federal District.
Footage posted on Telegram showed the attack followed by flash of light. Confirming the attack took place, Regional governor Andrey Bocharov wrote on social media: “The forces of the Russian Ministry of Defense are repelling a massive attack by unmanned aerial vehicles on the territory of the Volgograd region.” The governor said the roof of one of the buildings of hospital No. 16 and the refinery caught fire as a result of debris from UAVs falling. According to preliminary data, there were no casualties in the attack, Bocharov said, adding that firefighters were working in the cite to extinguish fires. Later, RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing local authorities, that the fire at the Volgograd refinery had been extinguished. The refinery and the hospital that were hit during the attack, are located several kilometers apart, according to Astra Telegram channel. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed the attack, saying UAV strikes caused severe fires. The attack on the refinery if Volgograd on August 19 follows large-scale Russian drone and missile strikes targeting energy infrastructure in Ukraine’s central Poltava region on the same day. Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported that dozens of drones simultaneously attacked the production facilities of Ukraine’s gas transportation system. “Damage to the facility’s ground infrastructure has been preliminarily established. Specialists are already conducting a technical inspection of the equipment and assessing the extent of the damage,” the ministry stated. The ministry reminded that the last attacks on Ukraine’s refining infrastructure were recorded on June 15 and 21 of this year and urged the international community to step up sanctions on Russia and provide Kyiv with additional aid to defend its infrastructure facilities.
Russia has carried 2,900 attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since March this year. Conversely, Ukrainian operations against Russian enterprises and infrastructure in 2025 to date have caused around seventy-four billion in losses, which amounts to 4% of Russia’s GDP, with nearly 80% of confirmed targets being oil and gas facilities.
