Ukraine hit oil refineries in another major drone attack

Ukraine has launched its second major drone attack in a week against Russian oil refineries hundreds of miles from its borders.

- TOM WATLING

Drone strikes were reported by local officials across seven Russian regions as footage appeared on social media showing explosions and fires at the Lukoil refinery in the southern Volgograd area. It is more than 260 miles from the nearest Ukrainian forces.

Intelligence sources said the refinery had been hit by four Ukrainian drones, causing “significant damage”. The Ukrainian military, claiming responsibility for the strike in partnership with the country’s intelligence services, said the refinery was “involved in supplying the Russian army”.

Volgograd governor Andrei Bocharov acknowledged the attack but claimed all the drones had been shot down. He added that the debris from one of the downed drones had struck the facility and caused a small fire that was “promptly extinguished”. He added that one refinery worker was hospitalised.

In the Smolensk region west of Moscow, governor Vasily Anokhin claimed there had been a “massive drone attack” on civilian infrastructure. He said one drone was intercepted while attempting to strike a nuclear energy facility.

Nearby, air defences also destroyed several drones around the town of Andreapol, home to approximately 8,000 people, in the Tver region, according to the local governor.