A Ukrainian drone strike on a major oil-refining hub in central Russia has killed 13 people, including a child, and wounded 75 others, according to local officials, as Kyiv continues its campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
The attack occurred early Monday in Nizhnekamsk, a city in Russia’s Tatarstan region located about 1,200 kilometres from Ukraine’s border.
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that its forces targeted the Taneco refinery in Nizhnekamsk, describing the strike as part of efforts to reduce Russia’s military capabilities. Ukrainian forces also reportedly targeted another refinery in southern Russia.
Videos shared on social media showed smoke and flames rising from the industrial complex, which includes the Taneco refinery, another refinery and a large petrochemical facility. The Ukrainian General Staff said its forces also struck a Russian military equipment depot in Novoselydivka, in the occupied Donetsk region, as well as a field artillery storage facility in nearby Boiove.
Russian officials said drones struck both industrial facilities and residential areas in Nizhnekamsk. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that Ukraine launched 456 drones at targets across the country overnight. Tatarstan authorities declared a period of mourning for those killed in the attack. The refinery complex has reportedly been targeted three times this summer.
Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy infrastructure have reportedly disrupted more than 30 percent of Russia’s refinery capacity, contributing to a severe fuel shortage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strikes were retaliation for Russia’s continued attacks on Ukrainian cities.
“We do deliver entirely justified responses, and every Russian strike will be met with our response,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Russia would increasingly feel the consequences of the war on its own territory. Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces had recently targeted Russian air-defence systems, radar stations and energy infrastructure in the Azov and Black Sea regions.
Russia has continued to launch missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities throughout the war, while Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range domestically produced drones to strike targets deep inside Russian territory. The latest attack comes as both sides continue targeting critical infrastructure, with the conflict showing no immediate signs of ending.