Ukrainian Drones Strike Lukoil’s Volgograd Refinery for Third Time in a Week

On the night of August 19, 2025, the Volgograd region experienced a significant assault by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as reported by Governor Andrey Bocharov on his Telegram channel. The attack resulted in debris from the drones falling in southern Volgograd, igniting fires at the Lukoil oil refinery and on the roof of Hospital No. 16.

Bocharov noted that firefighters are currently working to localize and extinguish the fires, with preliminary reports indicating no casualties. Patients at the hospital are receiving care in other departments.

Residents of Volgograd reported hearing between four to ten explosions around 01:20 local time, accompanied by bright flashes in the sky. The drones were reportedly flying at low altitude from the village of Bolshiye Chapurniki. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that 13 Ukrainian UAVs were intercepted and shot down over the Volgograd region during the night.

The Lukoil refinery in Volgograd, one of the largest in the Southern Federal District with an annual capacity of 14.8 million tons, has now been targeted by Ukrainian drones for the third time within a week. Information regarding the extent of the damage and its effects on petroleum product production is still being assessed, and Lukoil has not yet made any official statements.