During the night, the Ukrainian defense forces carried out a simultaneous drone strike using FP-1 unmanned aerial vehicles against two targets on Russian territory: an oil refinery in Kstovo (Nizhny Novgorod Oblast) and the largest Wildberries logistics warehouse in Kotovsk (Tambov Oblast). This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Fire Point Telegram channel. According to the channel, the attack hit two strategic sectors at once — the fuel and logistics infrastructure.
Timeline and nature of the strikes
According to eyewitness accounts, the first explosions in the area of the refinery were heard at approximately 3:40 a.m. Shortly thereafter, footage of a large-scale fire near the facility appeared online. Residents of Kotovsk reported that over the course of roughly 40 minutes they heard at least ten explosions, after which a fire broke out in one of the city's districts. Flights at Tambov Airport were temporarily restricted, and the operations of Wildberries' logistics staff were suspended following the strike.
Significance of the targeted facilities
The Kstovo plant produces automotive gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, as well as lubricants. Part of its output, in particular aviation fuel, is also used by the Russian army, which makes the facility a sensitive military target. The Wildberries warehouse in Kotovsk, for its part, is one of the marketplace's largest logistics hubs in the region, and its being hit has once again dealt a blow to supply chains.
A systematic campaign against oil refining
The strike on Kstovo fits into a broader campaign against fuel infrastructure. As of August 14, Ukraine has, according to available data, struck nearly a third of Russia's largest oil refineries. Previously, on July 18, the Wildberries warehouse in Kotovsk had already been hit: that fire killed seven workers. The repeated targeting of the facility underscores that logistics hubs are being treated as persistent targets.
Contradictory data
There are discrepancies in the sources regarding the scale and status of the targeted facilities. A number of outlets (for example, Korrespondent) describe the Kstovo plant as "the largest oil refinery in Russia," while others (NV, Fire Point) are more cautious — "one of the largest." The details of the dynamics also differ: some accounts place the first explosion at around 3:40, while others emphasize a series of "at least ten" explosions over 40 minutes. The exact number of damaged tanks, the volume of the spill, and the presence of casualties have not been confirmed by independent sources at the time of publication, so these figures should be treated with reservations.
