On August 18, Russia launched a major UAV strike on a SOCAR fuel facility in Odessa, prompting Ukrainian and Azerbaijani officials to emphasize continued cooperation, infrastructure restoration, and energy security. During the night, the Russian army carried out a massive UAV strike with Geran (Shahed) drones on the SOCAR fuel facility in Odessa, destroying all 17 tanks and damaging several facilities. According to reports, the attack caused a fire that destroyed the pumping station building, operator and weighing rooms, technical premises, and the fence of the oil base, which has a storage capacity exceeding 16,000 cubic meters. Experts are assessing the full extent of the damage, while urgent restoration efforts have already begun. An employee of the facility said, "Early in the morning and last night, the Russian army struck a SOCAR facility in Odessa with heavy artillery. There are two people slightly injured at the facility. But the terminal will probably stop operating for a while."

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Rasim Musabeyov, an Azerbaijani MP, stated that Russia’s targeting of SOCAR facilities required "not statements, but actions, and arms should be sold to Ukraine." He emphasized Azerbaijan’s continued humanitarian support to Ukraine during the full-scale invasion and over the past decade, noting that infrastructure with Azerbaijani capital in Ukraine was now suffering from Russian strikes. Musabeyov assured that Azerbaijan would work to restore and protect these facilities in the future, highlighting joint projects in energy and social infrastructure.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, stated on his social media page that Russia deliberately struck an energy facility in Odesa owned by an Azerbaijani company. Zelenskyy emphasized that the attack was "not only on us but also on our relations and energy security," describing Russia’s actions as "demonstrative and cynical." He underlined that the strike came as discussions were being held in Washington about ending the war. The president stressed that everyone sought a dignified peace and genuine security, noting that "at this very moment, the Russians are attacking Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, the Sumy region, and Odesa, destroying residential buildings and our civilian infrastructure."

Oleksiy Kuleba, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan’s assistance, stating that humanitarian and infrastructure support from Baku was vital ahead of the heating season. He noted the importance of ongoing Azerbaijani energy projects and underscored that "any help on this occasion is very important for us," given that Ukraine was approaching its fourth winter under wartime conditions.

Andrii Sybiha, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, emphasized that Moscow deliberately targeted SOCAR facilities "contrary to the interests of Azerbaijan," stressing the need for a new level of cooperation between Kyiv and Baku, as well as diplomatic and legal responses. He reaffirmed that Ukraine would remain a reliable partner for Azerbaijan. Yulia Svyrydenko, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, stated that Russia could not accept Azerbaijan’s principled support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. She underlined that despite Moscow’s actions, Kyiv would continue strengthening relations with Azerbaijan as a friendly partner.

Svitlana Hrynchuk, the Ukrainian Energy Minister, stated that work was ongoing to ensure the continuity of Azerbaijani gas supplies to Ukraine via the Trans-Balkan Corridor. She confirmed that a pilot stage of deliveries had already been completed and that negotiations were underway to finalize a bilateral agreement for continued supplies this year. "We are currently negotiating. Azerbaijan is interested in this. If the agreement is signed, we will continue to import Azerbaijani gas," Hrynchuk said, while also warning of risks posed by intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine’s gas infrastructure.

Parliamentary Leaders Discuss Long-Term Strategies 

On the same day, a telephone conversation also took place between Sahiba Gafarova, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, and Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The speakers expressed satisfaction with their bilateral relations, discussed ways to expand inter-parliamentary cooperation, and highlighted the importance of reciprocal visits. Gafarova invited Stefanchuk to visit Azerbaijan, and both sides expressed confidence that cooperation would continue both bilaterally and within international organizations. Notably, this marked the second major strike against the facility, following a similar attack on August 8 that involved about 10 drones and caused partial destruction.