Early on April 18, drone attacks targeted industrial facilities in the Samara region of Russia, according to local officials. Governor Vyacheslav Fedorichev reported that strikes were recorded at the oil refineries in Novokuybyshevsk and Syzran, although he did not specify which industrial sites were affected.
Monitoring channel ASTRA indicated that a fire broke out at the Syzran oil refinery’s tank farm, citing local residents and its own OSINT analysis. The channel also confirmed a fire at the Novokuybyshevsk refinery, noting that the strike impacted the southern part of the facility. Both refineries are part of the Samara group of oil refineries operated by Rosneft.
Ukrainian monitoring channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+ have also reported on the strikes against the refineries, with confirmation from Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation.
Radio Svoboda has been unable to independently verify the reports regarding the damage to the refineries. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 258 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across several regions, including Samara, Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kursk, Leningrad, Novgorod, Pskov, Rostov, Saratov, Smolensk, Tambov, Ulyanovsk, and the occupied Crimea, as well as over the Black and Azov Seas.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, various sites within Russia have experienced aerial attacks, with oil refineries frequently targeted in 2024 and 2025. Ukrainian forces have been confirmed to conduct operations aimed at diminishing the combat capabilities of Russian occupying forces and compelling Russia to cease its armed aggression against Ukraine.
Drone strikes have targeted oil refineries in the Samara region of Russia, causing fires at key industrial sites. Local authorities report no injuries, while the Russian military claims to have intercepted numerous drones during the night.