(SAMARA OBLAST, RUSSIA) – Large fires broke out at the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery and an Ozon logistics complex in Chapayevsk following a massive overnight drone strike on the Samara region, according to local reports.
Ozon Holdings PLC, established in 1998 as an online bookstore, is one of Russia’s first e-commerce companies and is often referred to as “the Amazon of Russia.” By 2019, it had become one of the three biggest online retail platforms in the country, and Forbes named it the third most valuable Russian internet company of 2020.
The attack began at approximately 3:00 a.m., with residents reporting active Russian air defence operations followed by explosions. By morning, powerful fires were confirmed at both facilities.
The Ozon logistics centre, located in the Chapayevsk industrial park, is the company’s largest hub in the Volga region. The facility covers approximately 135,000 square metres and can store more than 40 million items while processing over 215,000 orders daily.
Footage shared by eyewitnesses shows thick black smoke and large columns of flame rising from the site. One worker described the scene: “The second block has already started burning. The roof has burned out.”
The Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery is one of the key fuel producers in the region, supplying products used to support Russian military operations. The facility has been attacked previously and has halted operations on multiple occasions.
The strikes follow a pattern of Ukrainian attacks on Russian logistics and energy infrastructure. Previous targets have included Wildberries warehouses, which serve a similar function for Russia’s wartime economy.
Fuel shortages are already affecting Moscow and other regions. Petrol is reportedly available at only 28 of 100 filling stations across Russia. In Moscow’s Lyublino district, drivers queued at a Rosneft station in the early evening, waiting for a fuel delivery.
The shortages are beginning to affect food supplies. In a Moscow supermarket in the Maryino district, shelves normally stocked with fresh bread, fruit and vegetables were empty or filled with long life alternatives. Fresh produce deliveries have been disrupted by the lack of fuel.
Russian Energy Minister Tsivilyov, who is also the husband of Putin’s niece, claimed he had no problems with petrol when questioned about the crisis. “I drive a diesel,” he said. “There is diesel everywhere at all filling stations.”
When asked about fuel availability for ordinary Russians, he added, “There is petrol at petrol stations, but there is a queue.”
The Russian dictator Vladimir Putin acknowledged the attacks are causing damage. “There are consequences from such attacks, and they harm us, that is obvious,” he said. “We understand this, we see it and we know it. We need to strengthen the country’s sovereignty and improve efficiency.”
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