Ukraine’s use of long-range drones for attacks on Russia has escalated, resulting in a deadly strike on a major oil refinery town in Russia. Ukrainian authorities reported that on Monday (August 10th), Ukrainian drones attacked the refinery town in Russia, causing 13 fatalities. This marked one of the deadliest attacks by the Kyiv government since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began.
The drones launched by Kyiv successfully targeted an oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk, a city in the central region of the Republic of Tatarstan, approximately 1,200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. With a population of around 240,000, Nizhnekamsk is a vital hub for Russia’s oil and petrochemical industry, home to various refining and petrochemical companies.
A spokesperson for Rustam Minnikhanov, the leader of the Republic of Tatarstan, stated that the large-scale drone attack took place on Monday morning, targeting both industrial and civilian facilities. However, authorities have yet to disclose further details about the incident.
Tatarstan is rich in energy resources and hosts several large oil refineries, making these facilities prime targets for Ukrainian attacks.
In recent months, Ukraine has been consistently using long-range drones to target Russian oil refineries, petroleum, and other energy facilities within Russia.
Ukraine’s domestically developed long-range drones have penetrated deep into Russian territory, with extended flying distances reaching as far as Siberia, about 2,000 kilometers from the border of the two countries.
President Zelensky of Ukraine took to social media on Sunday (August 9th) evening, stating, “Our responses are entirely justified, and each of Russia’s attacks will face our retaliation. The conflict initiated by Russia will have increasingly significant impacts within its own territory—inside Russia. The only reason this war continues is Russia’s reluctance to end it.”
According to the United Nations, Russia frequently employs missiles, powerful glide bombs, and drones to carry out aerial strikes on Ukraine, targeting civilian areas and resulting in thousands of civilian casualties.
On Monday, the World Health Organization’s European office reported that one of its warehouses in the Dnipror region of central Ukraine was subjected to two separate attacks within less than 24 hours.