Volgograd Refinery Engulfed in Flames Following UAV Assault; Russia Retaliates with Drones and Missiles Against Poltava
In a series of significant incidents, energy infrastructure facilities in the Volgograd and Poltava regions were targeted by drone attacks on August 19, 2025. These attacks caused fires, infrastructure damage, and disruptions in energy supply and local utilities.
Volgograd Region
A Lukoil petroleum refinery in Volgograd was hit by drone attacks, resulting in a fire and damage to refinery units. The fire was confirmed, and firefighting efforts were underway, with no casualties reported. Previous attacks in mid-August had already interrupted production at the refinery, with repair and return to full operation expected by mid-September.
The Volgograd airport was temporarily closed due to the attack. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported they were repelling a massive UAV attack in Volgograd at that time.
Poltava Region
Russian forces targeted energy infrastructure with a large-scale drone and missile attack on the night of August 19, hitting oil and gas facilities, sparking large fires, and causing power outages affecting almost 1,500 homes and over 100 businesses. Administrative and transport facilities were also damaged, though no injuries were reported.
This strike was part of an intense campaign of attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure coinciding with high-level diplomatic talks. The attacks involved 270 drones and 10 missiles by Russia, with Ukraine intercepting most but some getting through to hit multiple locations, including Poltava.
Aftermath and Current Status
As of late August 2025, no newly reported drone attacks have occurred since the August 19 strikes. Damage repair is ongoing, especially at the Volgograd refinery, which had production disruptions prior to the August 19 attack.
These drone attacks in both regions represent parts of larger cycles of offensive and defensive operations targeting fuel and energy infrastructure in the ongoing conflict. The estimated losses caused by Ukrainian operations against Russian enterprises and infrastructure from 2022 to August 19, 2025, amount to $74.1 billion, approximately 4% of Russia’s GDP.
References:
- Russian Defense Ministry report on UAV attacks in Volgograd
- Ukraine Ministry of Energy report on Poltava attacks
- Russian Ministry of Defense statement on Volgograd attacks
- Ukrainian media report on Poltava attacks
- International news coverage of the attacks
Read also:
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
