Massive Drone Strike Ignites Fire at Key Russian Kavkazskaya Oil Facility in Krasnodar Region

A drone attack struck the “Kavkazskaya” oil transfer facility in Russia’s Krasnodar region, causing a large fire that continued burning for hours, Astra reported on March 19.

The attack occurred overnight on March 19, 2025, targeting a pipeline complex that transports oil to Novorossiysk for export. Local residents reported seeing a massive fire erupted at the facility shortly after the drones hit. As of 8:00 a.m. Kyiv time, the fire was still burning.

Authorities in the Krasnodar region confirmed that attack drones targeted the facility. While Russian air defenses shot down some of the incoming drones, their debris fell onto a nearby oil depot, triggering the fire.

According to official reports, the fire covered an area of 20 square meters and damaged a pipeline connecting oil storage tanks. 105 firefighters and 45 emergency vehicles were deployed to contain the blaze.

The US-based FIRMS system, which detects thermal anomalies, recorded a sudden temperature spike at the oil depot at 1:24 a.m., confirming the intensity of the fire.

The “Kavkazskaya” oil transfer hub plays a critical role in Russia’s oil supply chain, transporting crude oil by rail to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) system, which then pumps 6 million tons of oil per year to Novorossiysk for export.

The facility includes a rail-based oil terminal and a 15.7-kilometer pipeline connecting it to the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station, a key link in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium network.

Oil from this hub is supplied by major Russian energy companies, including Surgutneftegaz, Gazprom Neft, Yuganskneftegaz, TNK, Rosneft, and Lukoil.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces successfully destroyed a Russian “Utyos-TM” radar system.

“This radar was actively tracking Ukrainian aircraft, missiles, and drones within a 360-kilometer radius in real time,” the statement read.