Russia strikes Azerbaijani SOCAR oil depot in Ukraine’s Odesa, injuring employees

Russian forces launched five Shahed attack drones on an oil depot operated by the Azerbaijani oil company SOCAR in Ukraine’s Odesa Oblast on the night of August 7-8, resulting in a fire and damage to a diesel pipeline. 

According to sources from Ukrainian law enforcement cited by Ekonomichna Pravda, the fire was swiftly contained, but four SOCAR employees sustained serious injuries and required emergency medical treatment. Damage assessments and urgent repair work are currently underway, Caliber.Az cites. 

“Official investigation data has not yet been released, but the locations of strikes by five guided drones clearly indicate that the oil depot was the primary target of the attack,” law enforcement officers stated.

This incident marks the second deliberate strike on critical infrastructure linked to Azerbaijan in Ukraine within recent weeks. Previously, a gas distribution station near Orlivka, close to the Romanian border, was targeted. This station is a crucial part of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, which is intended to deliver Azerbaijani gas to Ukraine.

On July 28, 2025, Ukraine received its first import of Azerbaijani gas through the Trans-Balkan corridor. 

By Sabina Mammadli