New Ukrainian Drone Attack Targets Russian Oil Refinery in Samara Region

Ukrainian forces targeted the Kuibyshev oil refinery in the city of Samara, Russia, early Tuesday in a drone attack, according to media reports and sources.

The refinery is located on the banks of the Volga River in southwestern Russia, about 765 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to data provided by Reuters, the facility’s crude oil distillation capacity is approximately 10,000 metric tons per day, equivalent to around 73,000 barrels per day.

The refinery processes about 3.7 million tons of oil annually and produces petroleum derivatives used to meet the needs of Russia’s military industry and armed forces.

This is not the first time the Samara facility has been targeted by Ukraine; the refinery has previously suffered multiple attacks. On June 10, a Ukrainian strike led to the suspension of its operations, according to earlier reports.

Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries have become one of the key economic dimensions of Kyiv’s long-range strike strategy, as repeated strikes have reduced refinery output and created fuel supply pressures in several Russian regions during the summer.

During September, half of the six largest Russian diesel production refineries reduced operations or halted production entirely following a series of Ukrainian drone attacks, according to circulating reports.

Kyiv targets Russian energy infrastructure in an effort to damage the infrastructure supporting Russia’s economy and military machine, while Moscow views these strikes as an immediate threat to the security of its critical facilities.

As attacks continue, U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to stop targeting Russian oil refineries, warning that such strikes could affect global diesel fuel supplies.

Trump said, “Mr. Zelensky needs to do one thing: stop attacking diesel fuel in Russia,” adding that Kyiv could target other sites without hitting diesel facilities, as doing so contributes to supply shortages.

These developments come amid growing pressure in global energy markets, as the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war intersects with other disruptions affecting international oil and fuel flows.