On the night of 30 October, drones attacked the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in the Samara Region of Russia. Following a series of explosions, a massive fire broke out in the vicinity of the plant. Thick plumes of black smoke rose above the industrial area. The attack was reported by local residents and the Exilenova+ monitoring Telegram channel. Footage of the blaze was shared by Russian and Ukrainian news outlets.
Explosions were heard in Novokuybyshevsk
On the morning of 30 October, residents of the Samara Region began reporting explosions and air defence activity. Loud noises were heard in Samara and Novokuybyshevsk, whilst air-raid sirens were sounding in Togliatti.
According to monitoring channels, the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery was targeted by drones. A fire broke out in the vicinity of the refinery following the strikes.
The photographs released show thick black smoke rising above the city’s buildings. OSINT sources link the fire to the oil refinery site.
Due to the threat posed by drones, the arrival and departure of flights at Samara Airport were temporarily restricted.
The extent of the damage and the implications for the company’s operations are currently being assessed.
What is known about the Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery
Novokuybyshevsk Oil Refinery It is owned by the Russian state-owned oil company «Rosneft». It is one of the largest enterprises in the Volga region’s oil refining sector, with a design capacity of around 8.8 million tonnes of crude oil per year.
The company produces petrol, diesel and other petroleum products.
The plant has been the target of drone attacks on several occasions. In particular, on the night of 22 August 2026, the Ukrainian Defence Forces struck its facilities. At the time, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that a fire had broken out on the plant’s premises.
