Satellite Imagery Reveals Damage at Russia’s Kuibyshev Oil Refinery Following Ukrainian Drone Strike

Following a recent Ukrainian drone attack that sparked massive fires at the Kuibyshev Oil Refinery in Russia’s Samara region, new satellite imagery has revealed the specific damage that forced the facility to suspend operations, the OSINT project “Absolutely Reliable Source” reported on September 25.

The new visual evidence follows the overnight attack on September 22, when Ukrainian drones struck the Rosneft-operated facility in retaliation for Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, triggering explosions and massive fires. The Kuibyshev plant is one of the leading refineries in the Volga region, with an annual design capacity of 7 million tons of crude oil.

According to the “Absolutely Reliable Source,” the drone strike hit the refinery’s oil tank farm. The visual analysis confirmed that three storage tanks were destroyed by fire, with a fourth tank likely sustaining damage.

Additionally, the OSINT assessment identified a “scorched” pumping station and confirmed structural damage to the critical pipelines feeding the facility’s primary crude distillation units, designated as AVT-4 and AVT-5.

While the satellite imagery showed no signs of direct strikes or damage on the primary or secondary processing units themselves, the destruction of the supply infrastructure has effectively paralyzed the plant, the “Absolutely Reliable Source” wrote.

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War in Ukraine

Ukrainian Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Major Rosneft Refinery in Russia’s Samara Region

Sep 22, 2026 10:09

Based on the available information, the OSINT project noted that the refinery has completely halted operations, observing that it is nearly impossible for the distillation units to function without a stable supply of raw materials.

Ukrainian drones have also recently targeted Russia’s Rostov and Krasnodar regions overnight on September 24, striking facilities linked to oil storage. In the Rostov region, falling drone debris damaged administrative buildings at an oil depot in the Kagalnitsky district, though Governor Yury Slyusar reported no fire or casualties.

Meanwhile, in the Krasnodar region, a drone-induced fire broke out at an industrial facility identified by monitors as an oil depot in the village of Novotitarovskaya. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted a total of 40 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions and occupied Crimea during the nighttime barrage.

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