On 13 November, long-range drones operated by the «Alpha» Special Operations Centre of the Security Service of Ukraine attacked the «Samara» production and control station in the Samara region of Russia. According to preliminary reports, oil storage tanks were hit and a fire broke out on the site. The facility plays a key role in Russia’s oil transport system, as it is here that crude oil is blended to produce the Urals export grade, which accounts for up to half of Russia’s oil exports. The SBU officially announced the results of the operation on 14 November.
- Drones operated by the SBU’s «Alpha» special forces unit attacked the «Samara» station on 13 November.
- It has been provisionally confirmed that the oil storage tanks have been damaged; a fire has broken out at the site.
- The company blends raw materials for the Urals export grade of crude oil.
- The station has already been hit by Ukrainian drones on several occasions.
The SBU has confirmed that the tanks at the «Samara» station have been hit»
The oil terminal is located near the village of Prosvet in the Samara Region of Russia. According to the SBU, on 13 November, long-range drones from the «Alpha» Special Operations Centre attacked the company’s tank farm.
According to preliminary findings from the operation, damage to oil storage tanks has been confirmed. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has clarified that a fire broke out at the site following the attack, engulfing several tanks.
The exact number of damaged tanks and the volume of oil lost have not yet been reported.
Why is the «Samara» station important for Russian oil exports?
The Samara LVDC is owned by the company «Transneft» and is one of the largest centres for the reception, storage and transport of oil in Russia.
Raw materials are transported here via main pipelines from Western Siberia, Tatarstan and other oil-producing regions. At the plant, crude oil with varying sulphur content is blended to produce the Urals export grade.
According to the Ukrainian side, on Urals accounts for up to 50 per cent of Russia’s oil exports. This refers to the share of this grade in the country’s total exports, not the volume of oil that passes directly through the «Samara» terminal.
According to the specialist publication *Military*, the company’s tank farm covers more than 216 hectares. It houses 71 tanks with a total capacity of over 1.6 million cubic metres.
The oil terminal has already sustained extensive damage
The «Samara» station was repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian strikes throughout the autumn of 2026.
In particular, the General Staff reported that, as a result of the attack on 7 October, the factory had Four tanks were destroyed each with a capacity of 50,000 cubic metres. A second incident at the site was recorded on 10 October, and further reports of a fire were received on 2 November.
According to the SBU, strikes on such facilities hamper the preparation, transport and storage of oil for export. Russia’s revenue from oil exports remains one of the sources of funding for the war against Ukraine.
The consequences of the latest attack on 13 November are still being assessed.
