Ukrainian drone attack sparks fire at Russian refinery
Drones linked to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine were behind the attack, and that the facility was operated by Russian state energy giant Rosneft
Published: 04:07 PM,Jul 22,2024 | EDITED : 08:07 PM,Jul 22,2024
Rescuers put out a fire in a private house destroyed during a missile attack, Donetsk, Ukraine.
KYIV: A barrage of Ukrainian drones sparked a blaze overnight at an oil refinery and separately killed one person in southern Russia, officials in Russia and Ukraine said Monday.
Kyiv and Moscow have intensified fatal cross-border missile and drone attacks over recent months with both sides primarily targeting energy infrastructure.
Authorities in the Russian Black Sea town of Tuapse in the Krasnodar region said debris from one downed drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery.
The governor of Russia's southern Belgorod region meanwhile said one person driving a tractor was killed by a Ukrainian drone and his wife had been injured.
A source in the Ukrainian defence sector said drones linked to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine were behind the oil refinery attack and that the facility was operated by Russian state energy giant Rosneft.
'The extent of the damage to the aggressor state's military-industrial complex is currently being clarified,' the source said in written comments.
Russia its forces had downed 75 Ukrainian drones overnight, with nearly 50 destroyed over the southern Rostov region.
Air defence systems intercepted 47 drones over Rostov, 17 over the Black and Azov seas and 11 in other areas including one over the frontier region of Belgorod, the defence ministry said.
Russia almost daily announces the interception of Ukrainian drones which Kyiv says are a response to Russian attacks aimed at military and civilian targets since Moscow launched its special military operation in February 2022. Ukraine said its forces had downed 16 Russian drones overnight.
Meanwhile, Russia said its forces had captured two frontline villages in Ukraine, Andriivka in the eastern Lugansk region and Pishchane in the northeast Kharkiv region.
The two villages Russia claims to have taken are less than 20 kilometres from each other on a section of the front-line where Moscow has made grinding advances in recent weeks.
Russian army units 'liberated' the settlements of Andriivka and Pishchane 'as well as occupied more favourable lines and positions,' Russia's defence ministry said in a statement.
Andriivka was one of the last settlements in the eastern Lugansk region that Kyiv still controlled and had been a key target for Moscow.
Pishchane has also been in the Kremlin's sights because its capture could pave the way for Russia to reach the Oskil river that lies about 10 kilometres away. — AFP
Kyiv and Moscow have intensified fatal cross-border missile and drone attacks over recent months with both sides primarily targeting energy infrastructure.
Authorities in the Russian Black Sea town of Tuapse in the Krasnodar region said debris from one downed drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery.
The governor of Russia's southern Belgorod region meanwhile said one person driving a tractor was killed by a Ukrainian drone and his wife had been injured.
A source in the Ukrainian defence sector said drones linked to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine were behind the oil refinery attack and that the facility was operated by Russian state energy giant Rosneft.
'The extent of the damage to the aggressor state's military-industrial complex is currently being clarified,' the source said in written comments.
Russia its forces had downed 75 Ukrainian drones overnight, with nearly 50 destroyed over the southern Rostov region.
Air defence systems intercepted 47 drones over Rostov, 17 over the Black and Azov seas and 11 in other areas including one over the frontier region of Belgorod, the defence ministry said.
Russia almost daily announces the interception of Ukrainian drones which Kyiv says are a response to Russian attacks aimed at military and civilian targets since Moscow launched its special military operation in February 2022. Ukraine said its forces had downed 16 Russian drones overnight.
Meanwhile, Russia said its forces had captured two frontline villages in Ukraine, Andriivka in the eastern Lugansk region and Pishchane in the northeast Kharkiv region.
The two villages Russia claims to have taken are less than 20 kilometres from each other on a section of the front-line where Moscow has made grinding advances in recent weeks.
Russian army units 'liberated' the settlements of Andriivka and Pishchane 'as well as occupied more favourable lines and positions,' Russia's defence ministry said in a statement.
Andriivka was one of the last settlements in the eastern Lugansk region that Kyiv still controlled and had been a key target for Moscow.
Pishchane has also been in the Kremlin's sights because its capture could pave the way for Russia to reach the Oskil river that lies about 10 kilometres away. — AFP