ASTRA: Russian refinery ablaze after drone strike in Volgograd PHOTO

The Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd region caught fire following another reported drone attack overnight on May 29, according to OSINT analysts from ASTRA.

Analysts estimate that this marks at least the tenth attack on the refinery since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

Residents of Volgograd reported hearing multiple explosions during the night, ASTRA said. The regional governor later confirmed that an unmanned aerial vehicle had struck an apartment building in the Krasnooktyabrsky district, adding that no casualties were reported.

Photos and videos shared by eyewitnesses and analysed by ASTRA indicate that the fire spread across the territory of the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery, situated approximately 30 kilometres from the filming location.

Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka LLC is the largest oil refinery in the Volgograd region and one of the principal assets of PJSC Lukoil. The facility processes more than 15 million tonnes of crude oil annually and produces petrol, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, fuel oil, bitumen, and other petroleum products. The refinery has repeatedly been targeted in drone strikes during the war.

ASTRA further noted that the apartment building at 32 Vershinina Street — which regional authorities said was hit by a UAV — lies around two kilometres from JSC “Federal Research and Production Centre Titan-Barrikady,” one of Russia’s major defence-industrial enterprises.

The facility manufactures launch systems and components for strategic missile complexes, as well as artillery equipment. Titan-Barrikady is part of the Roscosmos state corporation and is currently under international sanctions.