Ukrainian Drone Strike Hits Russian Refineries and Pipelines

Ukraine launched a large-scale drone offensive against Russian energy infrastructure overnight on Sunday, hitting targets as far as 1,300 km from its border.

According to the Ukrainian General Staff, drones struck an oil refinery in Saratov on the Volga River, triggering a large fire. Russian authorities confirmed the attacks, with the defense ministry reporting that 216 Ukrainian drones had been shot down overnight.

Ukraine also targeted the Lazarevo pumping station in the Kirov region, a strategic node on a pipeline carrying Siberian oil to Belarus, where another major fire broke out. A fuel depot in the town of Matveyev Kurgan in the Rostov region was also hit.

As the campaign against Russia's fuel network intensifies, authorities in occupied Crimea announced restrictions on petrol sales. The governors of the Voronezh and Belgorod regions reported additional damage, with three civilians injured.

Russia responded with an attack of its own, launching 229 drones at northern and eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian air defenses reportedly intercepted 212 of them.

(reuters, est)