Volgograd fuel queues after drone attack on Lukoil refinery

After an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on a Lukoil oil refinery in Volgograd, long queues formed at gas stations in the city, and some fuel grades rose in price by 50 kopecks overnight. At the same time, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, 467 drones headed toward the Russian capital and its region overnight, and all four Moscow airports temporarily restricted operations.

A fire the authorities called “local”

Volgograd Region Governor Andrei Bocharov, as usual, spoke of falling drone debris and “local fires” at an industrial site in the south of the city. The Telegram channel Astra, after analyzing photos and videos from local residents, disputed this: according to its findings, it is the Lukoil Volgograd refinery itself that is burning, with several large seats of fire visible in the footage. Earlier, residents had reported numerous explosions and air defense activity.

The plant has operated since 1957 and is among the largest in Russia, with a capacity of about 14.8 million tons of oil per year. It produces gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and other products that supply the country's southern regions. According to the Exilenova+ channel, this is the thirteenth attack on the facility since the start of the invasion. In early October, Reuters reported that the refinery had completely halted oil processing after a previous strike.

Queues and higher prices

According to local media, the consequences were felt immediately. Long queues for gasoline formed in Volgograd, and some popular fuel types at branded stations, according to the V1.ru website, rose in price by 50 kopecks overnight. Residents posted photos and videos of waiting cars.

The author of one social media post noted that, judging by the footage, it was no coincidence that residents rushed to fill their tanks at two in the morning. In his view, Ukrainian forces have probably changed their tactics against refineries: several drones are now sent at each facility, aiming at the whole industrial complex rather than just the processing units, to put the plant out of action for as long as possible. According to an estimate from the OSINT community, over two weeks the strikes have hit facilities that account for about 40 percent of all Russian oil refining.

Moscow: four airports

Drones also flew toward Moscow overnight into Friday, Nov. 13. According to Sobyanin, from the evening of Nov. 12 until morning, air defense recorded 467 drones heading for the Moscow region. Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky temporarily restricted operations because of the attacks.

Related: Ukraine hits Lukoil refinery in Volgograd: four workers killed

Around Prague, based on reporting by forum24.cz