Ukrainian drone strikes hit Russian oil infrastructure from Samara to Baltic port

KYIV: Ukrainian drones reportedly hit several Russian oil-related facilities overnight, including two refineries in the Samara region, a fuel depot in Crimea, and a Baltic Sea export port, according to Russian regional officials and a Ukrainian military representative on Saturday.

Kyiv has recently intensified its strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, targeting refineries and storage sites that play a key role in financing Moscow’s war effort. Some of these locations are located deep inside Russian territory, far from the front lines.

In the Leningrad region near St. Petersburg, Governor Alexander Drozdenko said a fire was contained at the Vysotsk port terminal, which is operated by Lukoil and handles shipments of petroleum products such as fuel oil, diesel, naphtha, and vacuum gas oil.

Ukrainian drone forces commander Robert Brovdi confirmed on Telegram that strikes also hit the Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran refineries in Samara. Both facilities have been repeatedly targeted during the ongoing conflict. He added a sarcastic remark, writing, “Make Russian Oil Great Again,” and also criticized a recent U.S. decision regarding oil sanctions enforcement.

Samara region governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev acknowledged that industrial sites were attacked but did not specify which facilities were affected.

In Crimea, which is under Russian occupation, officials in Sevastopol reported that air defenses downed 22 drones, though damage was still recorded in parts of the city, including a fire at a fuel storage tank. Brovdi claimed Ukraine had specifically targeted an oil depot there. Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service also said it struck Russian naval vessels stationed on the peninsula. Brovdi further stated that recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil logistics hubs such as Primorsk, Ust-Luga, Sheskharis, and Tuapse may have reduced daily oil export volumes by roughly 880,000 barrels, though this figure could not be independently verified.

Meanwhile, authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region said fires at the Tikhoretsk depot and the Tuapse oil terminal—both of which had been burning since Thursday following drone attacks—have now been fully extinguished. (Agencies)

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