Several air assaults in the Russian border area of Belgorod next to Ukraine on Saturday resulted in the deaths of two individuals and at least seven injuries, as reported by the governor.
Further to the east, a nighttime drone strike in the Samara region led to a fire at a significant oil refinery, marking the most recent in a series of attacks on Russia’s fuel sector.
Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov conveyed on Telegram that his region, alongside the regional capital Belgorod, had been targeted in drone and air strikes.
“It’s going to be a tough morning.
“Following an air assault by Ukrainian armed forces on Belgorod, three balconies collapsed in an apartment building. Regrettably, a man died from his injuries on the spot,” Gladkov stated.
He shared a photo of a residential building with partial facade damage.
He also mentioned another person died in a drone attack on areas outside the city.
In the Samara region, located 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the front lines in the east, the local governor reported “multiple drone attacks” on local oil refineries.
One of these attacks sparked a fire at the Kuibyshev refinery, stated governor Dmitry Azarov in a message on Telegram, but reported no casualties.
The refinery, managed by Russian oil giant Rosneft, is one of the largest in the region, with an annual production capacity of seven million tonnes, per its official website.
A drone strike on another refinery in the region, Novokuibyshevsk, “was turned back without causing damage to the technological equipment”, Azarov mentioned.
The assaults occurred a day after Russia initiated a substantial aerial bombardment in the ongoing conflict, hitting numerous Ukrainian energy sites and leaving over a million temporarily without power.
Ukraine’s air force reported that it had taken down 31 out of 34 Russian drones launched at its territory overnight, whereas Russia’s defense ministry said it had intercepted 12 Ukrainian drones.
Ukraine, which has been confronting a Russian offensive for more than two years, has escalated its attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, specifically targeting energy sites.
Russia has also started a series of what it describes as “retaliatory” strikes, focusing on Ukraine’s energy sector and the capital Kyiv in recent days.
AFP
