A swarm of over 50 Ukrainian drones attacked a key Russian oil refinery, igniting a huge fire that could be seen from miles away. The attack took place in the early hours of Tuesday at the Lukoil depot in the city of Kstovo in the Nizhniy Novgorod region.
Ukraine’s army has intensified attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, repeatedly bombing oil and gas depots. The aim is to disrupt Putin’s war machine by reducing energy exports that provide the Kremlin with vital income for its cruel and brutal military campaign. The oil depot attacks are also designed to disrupt fuel supplies to Russia’s army in Ukraine.
Residents reported hearing a series of 20 powerful explosions, which were followed by a massive blaze at the oil depot.
Ukraine’s GUR intelligence agency said more than 50 drones were involved in the daring attack. Long-range “Beaver” and FP-1 drones were used in the strike, which successfully evaded Russian air defence systems.
Video images show the Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery engulfed in flames, as the fire rips through the site.
At the time of the attack, engineers had been carrying out repair wire to a rectification column, damaged following a previous strike last month.
The refinery is one of Russia’s largest oil processing facilities, with an annual capacity of around 17 million tonnes.
It supplies fuel to the Moscow region and produces over 50 types of petroleum products, including automotive gasoline, aviation and diesel fuel, as well as paraffins and bitumen.
Ukraine has carried out almost 160 successful strikes against oil extraction and refining facilities across Russia in 2025.
Vasyl Maliuk, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), that at least 20 of those strikes were conducted in September and October alone.
“These are legitimate military targets. Oil extraction and refining make up around 90% of Russia’s defence budget,” he said. “These are the dirty petro-roubles funding the war against us.”
