Russian oil refinery in Samara Oblast in flames after drone attack, media reports
Editor's Note: This is a developing story.
The Novokuibyshevsk refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast was hit by drones in an overnight attack, the Russian Telegram news channel Astra reported on Aug. 28, citing local reports and footage.
The Novokuibyshevsk facility, lying some 900 kilometers (560 miles) from the Ukraine-Russia border, has a production capacity of 8.3 million metric tons of oil per year. The refinery reportedly halted production in early August after being damaged by Ukrainian drone strikes.
Astra posted photographs and video footage of a large-scale fire on the premises of the Novokuibyshevsk refinery. The images show explosions, billowing smoke, and massive flames rising from the site.
Russian authorities have not yet commented on the alleged attack.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its forces downed 102 Ukrainian drones across different regions overnight on Aug. 28, including 21 over Samara Oblast.
A "massive drone attack" hit transport and logistical facilities in Volgograd Oblast, Governor Andrey Bocharov said. Drone debris started a fire at a locomotive depot in the city of Petrov Val, he claimed.
In Krasnodar Krai, residents reported six to eight powerful explosions as drone debris started a fire at an oil refinery plant in the town of Afipsky, according to the Shot Telegram channel.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the reports at the time of publication.
The Novokuibyshevsk refinery is run by the Russian oil company Rosneft. It was one of several Russian refineries that reportedly halted production in August 2025 after sustaining damage from Ukrainian drone strikes.
Sources told Reuters that the Novokuibyshevsk facility ceased operations completely after drones damaged its main primary oil refining unit.
The report came after Ukrainian drones allegedly targeted multiple industrial and military facilities across Russia overnight on Aug. 2, including the Novokuibyshevsk refinery.
Reuters has reported that Ukraine struck 10 refineries throughout August, shutting down facilities representing 17% of national processing capacity, or 1.1 million barrels per day.
The state-owned enterprise Rosneft is Russia's leading oil processing company and has been under international sanctions since 2014. Ukraine regularly targets Russian oil infrastructure in long-range strikes, though Kyiv does not always comment on these attacks.
