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Massive Blaze at Russian Oil Refinery After Drone Strike—Military Base Also Hit
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Drones struck multiple strategic targets inside Russia overnight, hitting an oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai, a military base in southern Russia, and two major rail stations in the Volgograd region, according to the Russian media outlet ASTRA on August 7.
A massive fire broke out at the Afipsky Oil Refinery following the drone strike, engulfing a key gas and gas condensate processing unit. Local officials reported the blaze was extinguished by 8:30 a.m., though the extent of the damage remains unclear.
This marks at least the fourth drone strike on the Afipsky refinery. A previous attack in December 2023 severely damaged one of the facility’s fuel oil distillation units after a large explosion and fire.
The Afipsky refinery plays a critical role in supplying diesel fuel to the Russian economy and armed forces, with an estimated processing capacity of 6–7 million tons of crude oil annually.
Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev also confirmed other drone strikes across the region and reported a maritime drone attack near Novorossiysk, home to key fuel oil and crude export terminals as well as a major port.
Separately, a large fire broke out at military base 61661 in the town of Slavyansk-on-Kuban after a drone attack, according to local reports cited by independent outlet Astra.
Long-range drones also targeted critical transportation infrastructure overnight, striking two railway stations in Russia’s Volgograd region.
The governor of the Volgograd region confirmed that long-range drones damaged the “Maksima Gorkogo” and “Surovikino” railway junctions. Astra published footage showing fires at the Surovikino station.
The Ukrainian OSINT project Cyberboroshno commented on the strike against the Afipsky refinery, noting damage to the plant’s gas and condensate processing unit.
“As a result of the attack on the Afipsky refinery, the SPGK unit was hit. The most critical damage likely occurred in the furnace section of the system,” the report stated.
“This unit handles gas condensate and associated petroleum gas, processing them into propane-butane fractions, stabilized light gasoline, and other products. The furnace—shown in red in Image 2—is a critical component, heating the mixture to 250–350°C depending on the operational mode. It operates under high pressure and temperature, making it both vital and potentially hazardous.”
Earlier, gasoline prices in Russia reached historic highs for the second consecutive day, following the suspension of production at two major Rosneft refineries. Despite government attempts to curb the surge with a full ban on fuel exports, prices have continued to climb on the wholesale market.
