On the morning of 23 September, Russian drones once again attacked civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. The strikes caused serious damage to petrol stations in the Darnytskyi and Holosiivskyi districts of the capital. According to information available to our editorial team, the petrol stations in question are UPG and UKRNAFTA. The Kyiv authorities have officially confirmed that a drone struck a petrol station in the Holosiivskyi district directly.
The petrol stations have been left in a state of widespread devastation
The Russian attack on the capital began on the morning of 23 September. Shortly after 6 am, a series of explosions rocked Kyiv, and the city authorities began reporting strikes and fires in several districts.
In the Holosiivskyi district, the mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed a direct hit by a drone on a petrol station. Following the impact, the building sustained significant damage. The footage released shows collapsed structures, a damaged canopy and signs of a major fire.
According to information obtained by UkrMedia News, the damaged complex belongs to the chain UKRNAFTA.
Another petrol station that has been seriously damaged — UPG in the Darnytskyi district of the capital. Photographs from the scene show extensive damage to the petrol station’s infrastructure.
UKRNAFTA will assess the extent of the damage once the emergency services have completed their work
Chairman of the Board of JSC «Ukrnafta» Bogdan Kukura reported that rescue workers and the police are already at the scene of the incident.
Once the emergency services have completed their work, the company will be able to carry out a full survey of the site, assess the extent of the damage and determine the next steps regarding the property.
This is by no means the first time an attack on the petrol station infrastructure UKRNAFTA in September. Between 10 and 15 September alone, the company reported a series of attacks on its petrol stations in the capital. On 11 September, Russian drones struck two of the network’s stations simultaneously on the right and left banks of Kyiv, and one of the stations was attacked a second time.
Following the previous attacks, UKRNAFTA began to provide additional protection for petrol stations in the capital using gabions and tightened safety regulations for staff and customers.
It is particularly dangerous to be at a petrol station when the alarm sounds
The consequences of today’s attack once again demonstrate why petrol stations cease operations during an air raid alert. Significant quantities of fuel are stored on petrol station premises, so a direct hit by a combat drone poses an additional risk of fire and injury from falling debris.
Following a previous series of attacks, UKRNAFTA specifically emphasised that the stations deliberately cease work whilst an air-raid alert is in force, whilst staff are moving to shelters. The company explained that this was necessary to minimise the risks to people as much as possible.
There were also casualties during previous attacks on petrol stations in the capital. On 11 September, following two strikes on a petrol station in the Obolon district, two of the injured later died in hospital, whilst a further six people were injured.
The attack also affected other parts of Kyiv
On the morning of 23 September, Russian drones attacked more than just petrol stations.
Warehouse premises also caught fire in the Holosiivskyi district. In the Solomianskyi district, debris fell between residential blocks and onto the premises of a transport company, where a fire broke out.
Traffic was temporarily suspended in the capital due to an increased air threat Kyiv City Express in both directions.
Details of the full extent of the damage following this morning’s attack are still being clarified.
Russia has been regularly attacking petrol stations in the capital in recent weeks
September proved to be a particularly difficult month for Kyiv’s fuel infrastructure.
On 10 September, a drone struck a petrol station in the Holosiivskyi district, injuring three people who were nearby.
On 11 September, strikes hit petrol stations in the Obolon and Desnianskyi districts. On 15 September, Russian drones again attacked petrol stations in the Darnytskyi and Holosiivskyi districts — a man was killed, whilst a further eight people were injured at other locations across the capital.
Thus, today’s destruction was the latest in a series of attacks on Kyiv’s civilian fuel infrastructure.
