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Drones Strike Key Russian South Oil Artery, Fire Breaks Out at Pumping Station
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Drones struck a key oil pipeline control station in southern Russia overnight, triggering a fire and power outage at a facility critical to fuel transport toward the Black Sea, according to Russian reports and monitoring channels.
The attack targeted the Krymskaya linear production and dispatch station in Russia’s Krasnodar region, according to Russian media Astra on April 9.
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The facility is part of Russia’s main pipeline network. It plays a key role in pumping oil and petroleum products toward the port of Novorossiysk, as well as to the Ilsky and Afipsky refineries.
Following the strike, a fire broke out at an electrical substation located on the site. The 110 kV substation supplying the pumping station caught fire, and residents reported a temporary blackout in the area.
With Russian air defenses no longer much of an issue, Ukrainian drones continue to freely target key nodes of Russia's war economy.
— SPRAVDI — Stratcom Centre (@StratcomCentre) April 9, 2026
In Krasnodar Krai, drones visited the area of an airbase, the "Krymskaya" oil depot, and a substation on its territory.
While awaiting demage… pic.twitter.com/UKDA6kMAXQ
Regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev confirmed that drones had struck the region, though he attributed the damage to falling debris. He also reported that one civilian had been killed.
Separate reports from eyewitnesses indicated that the largest number of explosions occurred near the city of Krymsk, where a Russian military airbase is located. At least 20 explosions were reportedly heard over the course of about an hour.
LPDS “Krymskaya” #KrasnodarKray, electrical substation on fire after a strike. Must be another case of “nothing critical happening”🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/vrnPhGKm7U
— Aurora Borealis 🤫 (@aborealis940) April 9, 2026
Bright flashes were seen in the sky, likely linked to air defense activity and low-flying drones.
According to Astra, which analyzed video footage from the scene, the strike directly hit the electrical substation on the territory of the oil pumping station.
The Krymskaya facility is part of the pipeline system operated by Chernomortransneft and serves as a key node in transporting oil across southern Russia. Its disruption could affect supply flows to both export routes and domestic refining infrastructure.
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Earlier, a fire broke out at an oil product terminal in Feodosia, in temporarily occupied Crimea, following a reported overnight drone strike.
Satellite data from NASA’s FIRMS system also detected thermal anomalies consistent with a large fire at the site, confirming the location of the blaze.
Local reports cited by monitoring channels indicated that railway crossings near the terminal—along Kerch Highway and Fedko Street—were temporarily closed following the incident. Eyewitnesses reported that the glow from the fire was visible from distances exceeding 20 kilometers.
