Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Russian energy infrastructure

Ukraine launched waves of drone attacks targeting power and refinery plants in the Moscow region and neighbouring Tver, sparking fires, while tens of drones were destroyed across other parts of the country, Russian officials on Sunday.

Drone debris sparked fires at the Moscow Oil Refinery and at the Konakovo Power Station in the Tver region, one of the largest energy producers in central Russia, officials and media said.

Russia’s defence ministry said on the Telegram messaging app that its air defence units had destroyed 158 drones launched by Ukraine overnight, including nine over Moscow and its surrounding region.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said several drones targeted the Moscow refinery and a fire was being extinguished at a “separate technical room” at the plant.

Russia’s TASS news agency, citing fire emergency officials, said the fire was assigned the highest level of complexity, which may require additional rescue units.

The refinery in the southeast of the Russian capital is owned by Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Russian gas giant Gazprom <GAZP.MM>. Gazprom Neft declined to comment.

The Baza Telegram news channel, which is close to Russia’s security services, said loud blasts were heard near the Konakovo power plant.

Tver Governor Igor Rudenya said there was a fire in the town of Konakovo but that electricity and gas supplies were uninterrupted. He did not say what was burning.

Ukraine also attempted to strike the Kashira Power Plant in the Moscow region with three drones, Mikhail Shuvalov, head of the Kashira city district said on Telegram. There was no fire, damage or casualties as a result of the attack, he said.

“Electricity is being supplied without problems,” Shuvalov posted on Telegram.

The defence ministry said 46 drones were destroyed over the border region of Kursk, 34 over Bryansk, 28 over Voronezh and 14 over the Belgorod regions. Several more were downed over Kaluga, Lipetsk, Ryazan and a score of other Russian regions, the ministry said.

There were no injuries as a result of any of the attacks, according to preliminary information. Russia rarely discloses the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukraine’s air attacks.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

Kyiv is pressing the United States for permission to use allied-supplied weapons to strike deep inside Russia.

With the domestic drone industry growing rapidly, Kyiv has been stepping up its attacks on Russia, striking energy, military and transport infrastructure – sectors vital to Moscow’s war efforts.

Kyiv says, however, that it needs to be allowed to use more powerful Western-supplied weapons to inflict greater damage inside Russia and impair Moscow’s abilities to continue its attacks on Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s senior officials were in Washington last week, appealing to the United States for what Zelenskiy called, “capabilities to truly and fully” protect the country.

REUTERS