Ukrainian drone attack halts operations at major Russian oil refinery in Volgograd

Operations at a major Russian oil refinery in Volgograd have been suspended following Ukrainian drone attacks, according to foreign media reports.

The Lukoil-owned facility, one of Russia's largest oil processing plants, has ceased operations since May 29. Drone strikes on that date reportedly caused a fire and significant damage, leading to the shutdown of the crude oil distillation unit CDU-1, which accounts for approximately 40% of the refinery's capacity. Other units, CDU-5 and CDU-6, have also halted production.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of increased Ukrainian attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure. In May alone, Russian oil facilities were reportedly targeted at least 30 times, marking the highest number of such attacks since the full-scale invasion began.

In response to the escalating attacks, Russia is reportedly intensifying its own drone production. This sector is noted as one of the few industrial areas in Russia experiencing rapid growth, with production increasing by 117% in April.