Ukrainian forces carried out a strike on the Nikolskoye oil pumping station in Russia’s Tambov region on Monday, according to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
The attack, conducted by units of the Unmanned Systems Forces in coordination with other branches of the Defense Forces, sparked a fire at the facility and forced a shutdown of oil pumping through the Druzhba pipeline.
Ukrainian officials said the station forms part of Russia’s economic infrastructure and is used to support Moscow’s military operations. “The Ukrainian Defense Forces are consistently working to reduce Russia’s military-economic potential to completely stop armed aggression,” the statement reads.
The Druzhba oil pipeline is down — pumping halted indefinitely. Ukraine’s 14th UAV Regiment struck the Nikolskoe pumping station in Russia’s Tambov region, leaving it burning. As commander Magyar put it: the most effective sanctions delivered by Ukrainian drones. pic.twitter.com/t8V1DBNQtO
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) August 18, 2025
The Druzhba pipeline transports oil from Russia through Belarus, splitting into two routes: north to Poland and Germany, and south through Ukraine to Slovakia and Hungary. After the war began, the EU stopped flows through the northern branch but allowed Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia to continue receiving Russian oil.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the shutdown halted supplies to Hungary and called the attack “outrageous and unacceptable.” He added that Russian officials were working to restore operations but gave no timeline.
The strike follows earlier attacks on Russia’s fuel network. On August 12, Ukrainian drones hit the Unecha station, and earlier this month, fires broke out at depots in Rostov and Adygea regions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in June that Ukrainian drones had struck more than 30 oil refineries, depots, and terminals in Russia.
