In the early hours of April 18, a series of drone strikes targeted oil facilities across several regions in Russia, including Samara, Leningrad, and Krasnodar. These attacks resulted in significant fires at the Novokuybyshevsk and Syzran oil refineries, as well as at a marine port in Vysotsk and at an oil storage facility.
Residents began reporting loud explosions around 5 a.m., accompanied by bright flashes of light. Videos shared on social media depicted large fires and thick black smoke, particularly over the Novokuybyshevsk refinery in the Samara region.
According to local sources, one of the drone strikes hit the southern section of the Novokuybyshevsk refinery, potentially igniting a fire at the ELOU-AVT-6 (AVT-11) processing unit. The Novokuybyshevsk refinery is part of the Rosneft group and has previously been subjected to attacks, notably in October and November of 2025.
In the city of Syzran, also located in Samara, social media reports indicated an attack on the storage tanks of the Syzran refinery, which also caught fire. This facility is one of the largest in the Samara region, processing between 7 and 8.5 million tons of crude oil annually to produce gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and other products.
Crude oil is transported to the Syzran refinery from Western Siberia via the Transneft pipeline system. The storage tanks serve as a buffer, holding both raw materials and finished products before distribution. Post-refining, the products are supplied to the domestic market, transported via the Volga River, or returned to the pipeline system for export.
Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev of the Samara region reported at 9:44 a.m. that drone attacks were ongoing, with confirmed strikes on industrial sites in Novokuybyshevsk and Syzran, although he did not specify the exact locations. Preliminary reports indicated no casualties.
In Leningrad, Governor Alexander Drozdenko stated that 27 drones attacked the region on the same night, with a fire reported in the Vysotsk port area. This port is a key hub in the Baltic region for the transshipment of oil products, gas, and other cargo.
The Operational Headquarters of the Krasnodar region reported a fire at an oil storage facility in Tikhoretsk. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its air defense systems shot down 258 Ukrainian drones over various regions, including Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Rostov, Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Tambov, and Ulyanovsk, as well as over the Black and Azov Seas.
Drone strikes on April 18 targeted several oil facilities in Russia, leading to significant fires and ongoing attacks reported in multiple regions. The incidents highlight the vulnerability of critical infrastructure amidst ongoing tensions.