A major oil terminal near the village of Volna in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai was hit late Wednesday night in a drone attack, which Russian authorities say was carried out by Ukraine. The strike caused a massive fire, killing at least three people and injuring several others.
Deadly strike near the Black Sea in Krasnodar Krai
The oil terminal stores and moves fuel products. After the drones struck, four large oil tanks caught fire, sending thick black smoke into the sky. Krasnodar Krai governor Veniamin Kondratyev confirmed the damage and said the attack required a major emergency response.
Emergency services deployed 208 personnel and 51 vehicles, including fire engines and special equipment, to contain the blaze. Firefighters worked through the night, using foam and water to cool the tanks and prevent the flames from spreading. By Thursday morning, the fire was fully extinguished, though crews remained on site to monitor the area.
Volna and the nearby port are located on the Taman Peninsula in southern Russia, across the Kerch Strait from Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The site of the attack is about 325 kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory near Nikopol, showing the extended reach of drones in the ongoing war.
Local residents reported hearing loud explosions and seeing flames lighting up the sky. Authorities have not released the names of the victims.
Fires, tanks, and emergency operations in Krasnodar Krai
Governor Kondratyev noted that this was the second consecutive night of attacks in Krasnodar Krai. On January 21, a drone strike in Russia’s Republic of Adygea killed one person and injured 11 others. On the same night, a separate strike caused a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery, also in Krasnodar Krai.
The Afipsky refinery, one of the largest in southern Russia, has been targeted multiple times before. Fires were reported in September and November last year after previous drone strikes, showing that Krasnodar Krai’s energy infrastructure has repeatedly come under attack.
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The Volna strike required a large-scale emergency response due to the high risk of explosions from burning fuel tanks. Firefighters used specialized foam and cooling methods to prevent further damage. The scale of the operation highlighted the seriousness of the incident and the vulnerability of energy facilities in Krasnodar Krai.
Energy infrastructure caught in the conflict
Ukraine considers Russian energy sites legitimate military targets, arguing that revenues from oil and fuel help fund Moscow’s war effort. Kyiv has increasingly launched long-range strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, including ports, refineries, tankers, and offshore platforms in Krasnodar Krai and other regions.
Meanwhile, Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine’s energy and civilian infrastructure, hitting power stations, fuel depots, and ports, including repeated strikes on the Black Sea port of Odesa.
The Taman Peninsula and the surrounding Krasnodar Krai region are strategically important for Russia’s oil transport and storage. Damage to terminals and refineries can disrupt fuel supplies and cause economic and operational challenges.
The Volna strike underscores how the conflict now affects areas far from front-line battlefields. Long-range drones have made previously safe regions, including Krasnodar Krai, vulnerable, creating both human and material losses. Authorities have not detailed how many drones were involved or how the devices penetrated air defenses. Repairs and damage assessments are ongoing.
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For local residents, the attacks have brought fear and disruption. Explosions, fires, and emergency operations have become part of daily life as the war reaches further into Krasnodar Krai and other parts of southern Russia. Authorities continue to investigate the attack while monitoring other energy facilities in the region to prevent further incidents.
The deadly Volna strike adds to a growing pattern of drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, highlighting both the human toll and the strategic impact of these operations on Krasnodar Krai and the ongoing conflict.