Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a drone attack that caused a fire at an oil refinery in the Russian city of Ryazan, south of Moscow, Agence France-Presse reports. The attack comes on the third anniversary of the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, BTA reports.
In recent months, Kiev has stepped up its air strikes against energy and military facilities on Russian territory – campaign, which is a response to the incessant Russian bombing of Ukrainian cities and energy networks.
“The Ryazan refinery, one of the largest in Russia, was attacked“, said Andriy Kovalenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian government's center for combating disinformation.“
According to him, this facility “is key“ for producing fuel for the Russian air force, which is participating in the war against Ukraine.
“The air defense systems of the Russian Defense Ministry destroyed two drones over the Ryazan region“, reported today on “Telegram“ Pavel Malkov, governor of Ryazan region.
“Falling debris (from drones) caused a fire on the territory of an enterprise“, the governor added, assuring that no one was injured.
He did not specify which facility was hit, but local Russian media reported that it was a refinery belonging to Russian oil giant “Rosneft“.
At the end of last month, this facility has already been the target of drone attacks twice, for which Kiev claimed responsibility.
The Russian Defense Ministry said today that the Russian army had destroyed a total of 22 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions and Crimea overnight.