Drone Attack Damages Oil Refinery and CHP in Nizhny Novgorod Region

On the morning of April 5, Gleb Nikitin, the governor of Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region, announced that two critical infrastructure facilities were damaged due to an attack by Ukrainian drones. The affected sites include the 'Lukoil-Nizhny Novgorodnefteorgsintez' oil refinery and the Novogorkovskaya combined heat and power plant (CHP). This information was confirmed by the Astra news source, which cited Nikitin's statements.

The governor noted that overnight, the air defense forces successfully repelled an attack involving 30 enemy drones over the industrial zone of the Kstovo district. However, despite the efforts of the air defense, debris from the drones fell onto the territory of the 'Lukoil-Nizhny Novgorodnefteorgsintez' refinery, resulting in damage and subsequent fires at the facility. Nikitin reported that the fire was localized, but damage also occurred at the Novogorkovskaya CHP, as well as several residential buildings and private plots located nearby.

Fortunately, preliminary reports indicate that there were no casualties as a result of the incident. Authorities are actively working to restore power supply to consumers who may have been disconnected due to the attacks.

The publication that verified the information released a video showing flames over the 'Lukoil-Nizhny Novgorodnefteorgsintez' refinery, confirming the occurrence of the attack. This refinery is one of the leading oil processing enterprises in Russia, playing a significant role in supplying fuel to the Moscow region.

According to available data, the established capacity for primary oil processing at the 'Lukoil-Nizhny Novgorodnefteorgsintez' refinery is approximately 17 million tons per year. The facility produces over 50 types of products, including automotive, aviation, and diesel fuels, as well as oil bitumen, paraffins, and other products.

This attack is part of a broader trend observed in regions bordering Ukraine, where several similar incidents have been reported recently. For example, in Russia's Leningrad region, there was also a report of an attack involving 19 drones, which resulted in damage to a pipeline in the Primorsk port area. Such events underscore the growing tension in the region and potential implications for Russia's energy security.