Dozens of Ukrainian drones attack Russian regions overnight
The Ryazan, Voronezh, Bryansk, Kursk, Leningrad, and Lipetsk regions of Russia came under massive drone attacks. According to Russia's Ministry of Defence, air defense systems "intercepted and destroyed" 58 drones during the night and morning of Wednesday.
Russian news agencies report, citing sources in emergency services and medics, that two people were injured in an attack by a Ukrainian drone on an oil refinery near Ryazan. The victims sustained medium severity injuries. Ryazan region Governor Pavel Malkov confirmed the occurrence of a fire and casualties as a result of the attack but did not provide further details.
According to the Telegram channel 112, owned by REN TV and RTVI, three strike drones attacked a subsidiary of the Russian oil conglomerate Rosneft – the "Ryazan Oil Refining Company". The drones reportedly hit two installations for primary oil processing. A fire ensued, which covered an area between 100 to 200 square meters, according to various reports.
The Ryazan Oil Refining Company, owned by Rosneft, is the third-largest refinery in Russia and the biggest within the Central Federal District. Annually, it can meet the army's needs and produce 3.6 million tons of gasoline, 4.5 million tons of diesel fuel, and 1.2 million tons of aviation kerosene. Kommersant-Volga reports that in the Samara region, the protection of oil refineries against drone attacks has been strengthened.
The head of the Voronezh region, Alexander Gusev, reported that air defense forces shot down at least 40 drones. According to the official, infrastructure and residential buildings in several localities were damaged, but there were no casualties.
Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that air defense forces shot down a drone as it approached the KINEF oil refinery in the Kirishsky District. According to the regional head, there were no casualties or damage. As RIA Novosti reports, St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport imposed temporary restrictions from 08:32 to 09:00 but is now operating as normal.
Overnight, Russian air defense forces in the Belgorod region shot down at least eight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), claims Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov: one "airplane-type" in the village of Grafovka of the Shebekinsky district, one in the village of Priznachnoye in the Prokhorovsky district, two near the village of Serebryanka, two near Bogoslovka, one in the town of Gubkin, and one near Krugloe. As a result of the UAV attacks, there were no injuries, but residential homes, a gas supply line, and an electrical transmission line were damaged.
According to Gladkov, Belgorod was attacked by the Armed Forces of Ukraine using two airplane-type UAVs. One drone crashed into a multi-story residential building, while the other "fell into a river."
The Russian state news agency TASS, referring to operational services, reported that the FSB building in Belgorod suffered damage in an attack. It is also claimed in the report that the building's facade was damaged, and windows were blown out, but there were no casualties.
During the shelling of the city of Shebekino, an employee of an industrial enterprise was injured, there is "smoke damage" at the enterprise, residential buildings were damaged, and power lines were affected.
Bryansk region Governor Alexander Bogomaz asserts that air defense forces shot down eight drones, with no casualties or destruction reported.
In the Kursk region, Russian military forces shot down six drones, as stated by the region's head Roman Starovoyt. Two of them were brought down over the city of Kursk, three in the Kursk district, and one over the regional territory. The governor did not report on the ground impact of the attacks.
Governor of the Lipetsk region Igor Artamonov stated that authorities are receiving information about “possible UAV landings in the area of Lipetsk and Lipetsk district". The consequences of the attacks have not been reported.