'There might be nothing left tomorrow' — Russia ramps up attacks on Kyiv's gas stations
Ukrainian law enforcement officers stand among the debris of a destroyed petrol station following an air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 11, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
on GoogleRussian drones struck two gas stations in Kyiv on Sept. 11, killing two people and injuring 12 others, including a child, local authorities said.
An air raid siren sounded in the capital at around 9:10 a.m. local time. About half an hour later, explosions were heard across the city, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground.
Five people were hospitalized, while one was treated at the scene, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. At 11:45 a.m. local time, Klitschko said two of the injured had died in hospital.
The number of people injured rose to 12 by around 3 p.m. local time, including a 12-year-old boy, the Kyiv City Military Administration (KMVA) said.
As of 3 p.m. local time, seven people remained hospitalized, according to the mayor.
One emergency responder was among the injured in the Russian attacks on the gas stations, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said.
Klitschko said Russian drones struck gas stations in the Dniprovskyi and Obolonskyi districts, with debris damaging a car in the latter. The KMVA later clarified that Russia carried out a double-tap attack on the gas station in the Obolonskyi district.
The recent Russian attacks have raised concerns among Kyiv residents and commercial gas station chains over the worsening security situation.
Artem, 25, a refueling technician who asked to be identified by his first name only, said the station previously closed only during "red-level" air raid alerts, which signal a potential missile attack. Following a series of strikes on the city, the station also began closing during "yellow-level" alerts on Sept. 11, which indicate a drone attack, he added.
Artem added that amid the recent attacks, customers have also started buying more fuel, filling their car tanks and storing additional gasoline in personal jerry cans.
"It's scary that there might be nothing left tomorrow," the refueling technician said.
Rita Shvets, a cook at a gas station operated by the national OKKO chain, told the Kyiv Independent that as Russian drone attacks on the capital have intensified, the company has strengthened its threat-monitoring system and alerts employees when they need to leave their workplaces for safety.
"We have time to run to the metro. If we don't, there's a basement nearby where we take shelter," Shvets said.
"I've been working (through the war) for four years now, so I've somehow adapted."
Valeriia, 32, a project manager at an American IT company who asked to be identified by her first name only, told the Kyiv Independent that the recent Russian attacks have made her more concerned about potential damage to her apartment and car. Refueling the car has also become more difficult in Kyiv.
"I'd rather avoid going to gas stations and shopping malls during air alerts. And now they're so often that probably should avoid it all the time," she said.
"I'd rather keep my tank full and avoid going (to gas stations) pretty often."
Russia has been expanding its campaign against Ukrainian gas stations. This summer, Russian forces deliberately targeted facilities in regions near the front line in the east and south, gradually expanding the geographic scope of their strikes to central and northern Ukraine.
Russia first struck a gas station in Kyiv on Sept. 10, with attacks on Sept. 11 bringing the number of damaged stations in the capital to three. All three are operated by state-owned Ukrnafta, Ukraine's largest oil and natural gas producer.
A new series of explosions was reported in the capital at around 12:30 p.m. local time during an ongoing Russian drone attack.
A Russian drone hit an office building in the Podilskyi district, damaging the building and starting a fire on the fourth floor, while a neighboring one-story non-residential building also caught fire, Klitschko said.
Another Russian drone struck the same office building again in a seperate attack hours later at around 6:50 p.m., according to Klitschko. As a result of this strike, a nearby warehouse caught fire, Klitschko said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky later said the building of Ukrainian mobile operator Kyivstar was damaged in the Russian daytime attack.
"Russia's escalation with jet-powered "shaheds" is gradually becoming increasingly terrorist in nature," Zelensky wrote on X.
"We cannot simply wait while Russia hones its repertoire of killing," Zelensky said. "Right now, maximum attention must be focused on protecting the skies, finding solutions to protect people, and scaling up countermeasures against Russian drones."
The Sept. 11 attacks came as Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski arrived at Kyiv's main train station. The exact agenda of his visit is not known, but it comes amid growing tensions between Poland and Ukraine.
