Ukrainian drones target Russian fuel infrastructure in night raids
Russian services experienced a restless night. In the last few hours, Ukrainian drones have attacked several strategically important sites in Russia. Notably, a large refinery that supplies the Russian army caught fire.
Many of the reports provided by Russian media or government officials are propaganda. They are part of the information warfare conducted by the Russian Federation.
Ukrainians attacked targets in the Astrakhan and Volgograd regions in southwestern Russia.
The governor of the Astrakhan region, Igor Babushkin, reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine attempted to attack fuel and energy facilities in that region with drones. "As a result of one of the drones crashing, a fire broke out, but there are no casualties", assured Babushkin.
Although the governor did not specify which facility was damaged, the Telegram channel Baza, linked to Russian special services, reported on a gas processing plant attack near Astrakhan.
Attacks in Russia. Aircraft grounded
Due to the attacks, the Russian aviation regulator Rosaviatsia suspended flights at airports in Astrakhan, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Saratov, Ulyanovsk, Vladikavkaz, Grozny, and Makhachkala.
Similar restrictions were introduced at the airport in Volgograd, where explosions were reported at the local refinery and there were power outages in the city.
Successful blow. Ukrainians aim to paralyse a key Russian industry
According to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian Centre for Countering Disinformation, the attacks on Russian refineries aim to limit the production of fuel that supplies the Russian army.
"It is crucial to stop the Volgograd refinery from producing gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil and aircraft fuel, which it supplies to the Russian military", emphasised Kovalenko.
The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that Russian air defence intercepted and destroyed 70 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory at night, 25 of which were over the Volgograd region, 27 over the Rostov region, and seven over the Astrakhan region.
The Volgograd Refinery is one of the largest in Russia. Its processing capacity is about 42 million tonnes of oil per year.
