Drone attack causes fire at oil refinery in Volgograd

A spill and fire of oil products occurred at the Volgograd oil refinery as a result of a drone attack.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" reported, on the evening of August 13, for the second time in 24 hours, the work of the Volgograd airport was restricted. In the morning of the same day, the Ministry of Defense reported that 11 drones were shot down in the Volgograd region overnight. drone debris fell on the roof of a 16-story building on Opolchenskaya Street in Volgograd. Residents of the building were evacuated, but during the day the authorities allowed them to return to their apartments.

The Volgograd Region Governor Andrei Bocharov reported the fire at the Volgograd Oil Refinery at 3:39 Moscow time. According to him, the region's territory was subjected to a "massive UAV attack."

According to the governor, fire services are working at the Volgograd Oil Refinery, where “as a result of falling debris,” oil products spilled and caught fire.” “According to preliminary data, there are no casualties,” the official Telegram channel of the regional administration said.

The official accounts of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Volgograd and the region as of 03.53 Moscow time did not comment on the emergency at the oil refinery. At the same time, city residents reported explosions in the Krasnoarmeysky District and a fire with smoke even before the administration distributed the governor’s comment.

“The explosions began to be heard after 2.30, especially loud in the Krasnoarmeysky District. “A total of at least 5-7 loud bangs were heard,” SHOT writes, citing eyewitnesses. “Residents report the sounds of drones and several explosions in the Krasnoarmeysky district. Smoke has been spotted in one of the city’s districts,” Baza notes.

The “Caucasian Knot” wrote that several fires caused by drones have occurred at the Volgograd Oil Refinery over the past year and a half. A fire at this plant was reported on February 3, 2024, and exactly one year later, February 3 of this year. A fire due to a downed drone also occurred at the plant in May 2024. Some of the residents of the Krasnoarmeysky District interviewed in February by the “Caucasian Knot” after several attacks thought about moving for safety reasons. 

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