[UPDATED: Oct. 2, 2:11 pm
, Kyiv time. Updated with a report on Ukraine’s involvement in the attacks and President Zelensky’s reaction.]
A massive overnight drone attack sparked fires near a major oil refinery and chemical plant in Russia’s Volgograd region, while another strike was reported at a huge oil storage facility in Samara.
The attacks came as Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses had intercepted or destroyed 646 Ukrainian drones across 14 regions, Crimea and the Black and Azov seas.
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Volgograd Regional Governor Andrey Bocharov said early Friday, Oct. 2, that drones had targeted “industrial infrastructure” in the region.
He also reported a fire in an apartment building in Volgograd’s Krasnoarmeysky District. One person was hospitalized, and the fire was contained, Bocharov said.
Local residents reported numerous explosions across the city.
Rosaviatsia, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, imposed flight restrictions at Volgograd Airport at around 1 a.m. The last evening flight to Moscow and the first morning flight from the capital were delayed, while another aircraft was diverted to Samara.
Footage analyzed by Russian outlet Astra reportedly showed a large fire near two adjacent industrial facilities – the Volgograd Oil Refinery and the Kaustik chemical plant.
The Volgograd refinery, operated by Lukoil subsidiary Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka, is among Russia’s 10 largest oil refineries, with an annual processing capacity of about 14.8 million metric tons.
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The facility produces gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, fuel oil and bitumen. It was previously targeted by drones on July 31, when key production units were damaged and primary oil-processing units AVT-1 and AVT-6 were reportedly shut down.
Located near the refinery, JSC Kaustik is a major chemical-industry enterprise that supplies products to Russia’s military-industrial complex.
Major oil storage facility reportedly hit in Samara
Astra also reported an overnight strike on the Samara Linear Production and Dispatch Station (LPDS) – a major Transneft oil storage facility.
“The Samara Linear Production and Dispatch Station (LPDS) – Europe’s largest tank farm and part of the Transneft system – was likely targeted in Samara,” the message read.
The facility covers more than 216 hectares and contains 71 storage tanks with a combined capacity of over 1.6 million cubic meters of oil, as well as two pumping stations and an oil-blending station.
Four trunk pipelines converge at the Samara LPDS, bringing oil from Western Siberia, Tatarstan, Orenburg and Kazakhstan.
Samara authorities have not officially commented on reports of a fire at the facility, although explosions were reported in the city. A particularly loud blast was heard at around 6:30 a.m., according to local reports.
Samara Mayor Ivan Noskov later announced the suspension of ground public transport. The city’s metro remained operational as a shelter, while the missile threat alert was lifted.
Russia claims 646 drones intercepted
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that between 8 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 1 and 8 a.m. on Oct. 2, its air defenses intercepted or destroyed 646 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones.
According to the ministry, the drones were detected over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Voronezh, Kaluga, Tula, Oryol, Rostov, Saratov, Volgograd, Ulyanovsk, Samara and Astrakhan Oblasts, as well as Crimea and the Black and Azov seas.
The figures and reported damage could not be independently verified.
“Inherent right to self-defense” – Ukraine confirms strikes
Later, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka oil refinery in Volgograd early on Oct. 2.
“Explosions and a fire were recorded at the facility,” the General Staff said.
The General Staff also reported a strike on the Samara Linear Production and Dispatch Station near the settlement of Prosvet in Russia’s Samara region, where a fire was also recorded.
According to the report, the station receives oil through trunk pipelines from Tatarstan, Western Siberia and other Russian oil-producing regions.
The facility blends high- and low-sulfur crude from various oil fields to produce Urals export-grade crude, which accounts for up to 50% of Russia’s total oil exports, according to the General Staff.
“The enterprise is involved in meeting the needs of the Russian armed forces,” the General Staff added.
The results of the strikes are still being assessed.
“Striking such facilities represents Ukraine exercising its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and aims to reduce the military-economic potential of the Russian Federation,” the General Staff said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky also reacted to the overnight strikes, saying Ukraine was responding to Russia’s escalating attacks with its long-range capabilities.
“We are responding appropriately to Russian escalation with our long-range capabilities. There are significant results practically every day. Over the past 24 hours, oil facilities in the Samara and Volgograd regions were struck,” Zelensky wrote.
According to Zelensky, Ukrainian forces also carried out successful operations in the Black Sea and in Russia’s Voronezh, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd, Samara and Krasnodar regions.
He said the operations targeted airfields, industrial facilities, oil refineries, a rocket and space center and an ammunition depot belonging to Russian forces.
Zelensky thanked the Ukrainian military for what he called their precision and professionalism.