Russia strikes SOCAR oil depot in Odesa for the second time as Azerbaijan weighs supplying arms to Ukraine
During Russia’s overnight strike on Odesa region with Shahed drones on August 18, a facility belonging to Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR — which has an agreement with Ukraine to supply gas — was damaged. It was the second attack on the same oil depot in 10 days.
Azerbaijan’s APA News Agency said it was the second assault on SOCAR’s terminal in Odesa.
Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa regional military administration, said a fuel-and-energy infrastructure site and a two-story building in the suburbs of Odesa caught fire.
“Our rescuers promptly extinguished a massive fire. A Ukrzaliznytsia fire train was deployed. According to preliminary information, there are no dead or injured,” Kiper said.
According to APA, a fire broke out at the oil depot after several direct hits; 17 fuel tanks were damaged, as were a pump station building, control rooms and technical facilities, weighing equipment and a perimeter fence. The site can hold more than 16,000 cubic meters of fuel. Damages are still being assessed.
Azerbaijani journalists noted this was the second Russian attack on the site. Russian forces launched about 10 drones at the SOCAR oil depot on August 8.
Rizvan Nabiyev of the Milli Majlis Committee on Defense, Security and Anti-Corruption called the repeated strikes on a gas pipeline in Ukraine’s Odesa region, through which Azerbaijani energy is exported, and on a SOCAR filling station examples of Russia’s hostile actions against Azerbaijan.
Caliber.Az, citing unnamed sources, reported that official Baku may consider lifting its embargo on supplying weapons to Ukraine if Russia does not halt policies, it sees as aggressive toward Azerbaijan’s interests.
Late on August 17, Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on Odesa region. Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov reported explosions in the city, and local media said the strike sparked a fire.
On July 28, Naftogaz said it had signed its first gas purchase agreement with SOCAR group company SOCAR Energy Ukraine, under which Ukraine received gas from Azerbaijan for the first time. The initial test shipment moved via the Trans-Balkan corridor.