Ukrainian drones hit Druzhba pipeline hub in Bryansk
Overnight Wednesday, August 13, Ukraine’s armed forces launched a drone attack on the largest node of the Druzhba oil pipeline - the Unecha linear production-dispatching station (LPDS) in the village of Vysokoye, Unechsky district.
The strike was reported by several Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels and media outlets. The outlet Astra published footage showing a blaze, though the authenticity has not yet been confirmed.
Residents also reported explosions over the town of Unecha and surrounding areas. It’s the second strike on the site in a week. NASA satellite images published by the Exilenova+ channel showed a “significant fire” at the Unecha LPDS in Russia’s Bryansk region, reportedly caused by a drone strike.
Open-source information describes the Unecha LPDS as the largest hub in the 8,900-kilometer Druzhba pipeline network, owned by the Transnefteproduct holding. The station transports crude oil via pipelines. A previous fire at the facility after a drone crash occurred on August 6.
Bryansk region Governor Alexander Bogomaz said the consequences of the attack on the region were “being clarified,” without specifying what was hit. “Overnight, air-defense forces of the Russian Defense Ministry detected and destroyed 15 fixed-wing UAVs over Bryansk region. There were no casualties,” he wrote on Telegram.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said in its morning update that 46 fixed-wing drones were intercepted overnight over Russia and Russia-annexed Crimea, including 15 over Bryansk region, 11 over Volgograd region, 7 over Rostov region, and 5 over Krasnodar territory.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces General Staff confirmed that Ukrainian troops struck an oil pumping station in the town. According to Ukrainian military command, Russia had used the facility to supply its military.
The strike hit the area around the booster pump station building, igniting a large fire.
Explosions were also reported near the section housing trunk and booster pumps and the tank farm.
The General Staff noted the Unecha oil pumping station feeds two pipelines and has the capacity to move 60 million tons of crude a year.
Also early on August 13, Ukrainian forces targeted the oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, Krasnodar region; debris from a drone fell “on the territory” of the plant, according to the Krasnodar Regional Operations HQ.
A GAZelle vehicle caught fire after the strike, but there were no injuries, officials said. Later, regional authorities reported drone debris fell in four courtyards and on adjacent grounds.
Separately, the “Volgograd” public page reported that “up to 20 units were recorded heading toward” the local oil refinery that same night. According to the Baza channel, residents of the Krasnoarmeisky, Kirovsky and some other districts of Volgograd heard air defenses at work.
The city’s airport temporarily halted arrivals and departures. Volgograd region Governor Andrei Bocharov said the attack was repelled and that drone debris fell onto the roof of a 16-story residential building, where it was removed by sappers. No injuries were reported.