Overnight on 9 October, two fires broke out at critical fuel infrastructure in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast. Satellite data from NASA confirmed the blazes, while regional authorities admitted damage about 500 km from the frontline. Telegram channels reported a drone attack on the Lukoil gas processing plant in Kotovo. NASA FIRMS also showed fires at a nearby oil pumping station.

Lukoil gas plant in Kotovo burns after overnight strike

Supernova+ reported that the Lukoil-Korobkovsky gas processing plant in Kotovo was attacked during the night, and stated that two separate fires were visible at the site. The footage showed a glow over the horizon, geolocated at 50.344909, 44.710195.

Russian Telegram news channel Astra reported that fires broke out at the Kotovo gas plant after a drone attack, citing local residents. Astra noted that the same location had earlier been mentioned by Governor Andrei Bocharov in an official statement.

At 2:21 a.m., Volgograd Oblast Governor Andrei Bocharov acknowledged the drone attacks. He claimed that Russian air defense forces had been repelling a mass UAV assault across the region. He claimed that in Kotovo Raion, ostensibly "debris" from downed drones caused partial damage to a boiler house and triggered fires at fuel and energy facilities. 

The plant is a key facility in southern Russia’s fuel network and processes associated petroleum gas and light hydrocarbons. Its annual capacity is 450 million cubic meters of gas.

The Korobkovsky plant began operation on 30 September 1966. It produces wide fractions of light hydrocarbons and stable condensate from associated petroleum gas. 

Fires also confirmed near oil infrastructure

In addition to the gas plant, NASA’s FIRMS fire detection system recorded another fire near the Yefimovka oil pumping station. Astra noted that this station is part of the infrastructure operated by Transneft-Privolga.

Russia claims UAVs shot down across six oblasts

The Russian Ministry of Defense later claimed that 19 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight, including nine over Volgograd Oblast, three each over Bryansk and Kursk oblasts, and one each over Belgorod, Voronezh, Orel, and Saratov oblasts.