Ukrainian Forces have targeted one of Russia’s largest oil refineries again - the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez facility near Nizhny Novgorod.
A tense night unfolded in the Russian city of Kstovo, southeast of Nizhny Novgorod. Residents reported several explosions over the city, followed by sirens sounding at the refinery.
“Four explosions. It was very frightening. The plant siren went off,” eyewitnesses wrote in local chats.
Russian outlets later claimed five Ukrainian drones were shot down in the region, but signs of a fire were recorded in the city. Witnesses said smoke was rising over the industrial zone and the smell of burning was noticeable in nearby areas.
According to NASA data, satellites detected heat signatures near the facility, indicating a fire or a powerful explosion. The extent of the damage remains unclear; there have been no official comments from Russian authorities or from Lukoil.
It’s not the first time the Kstovo refinery has been targeted. In 2025 alone, the facility has come under attack at least three times. About 800 kilometers (roughly 500 miles) from the Ukrainian border, the site’s location underscores the growing range of Ukrainian unmanned systems.
The Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez plant is one of Russia’s oldest and largest refineries. Commissioned in 1958 and wholly owned by Lukoil since 2001, it can process up to 17 million tons of crude a year, placing it among the country’s top four refining enterprises.
Preliminary information suggested technical fires may have broken out at the site, but the nature of the damage has not been confirmed. Russian sources routinely describe such incidents as the downing of “enemy drones,” yet numerous resident accounts and satellite data point the other way - the strike likely hit its target.
Ukraine has not officially commented, but strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure have grown increasingly consequential, aiming to sap the country’s economy, restrict fuel supplies and create pressure behind the front lines.
