Drone assaults in Ukraine ignite blazes at Russia's Kursk nuclear facility and liquefied natural gas terminal at Ust-Luga, operated by Novatek.
In a series of unexpected events, Ukrainian drones have targeted several industrial enterprises across Russia in recent days. The attacks have caused disruptions and raised concerns about potential damage to critical infrastructure.
The most notable incident occurred on the 13th region in Russia, where Ukrainian drones hit multiple areas, including an oil refinery in Syzran, a city in the Samara region. The exact objective of these attacks in the Syzran region remains unclear, as the Ukrainian forces have yet to issue an official statement regarding the specific targets. Earlier this month, the Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for striking the Syzran oil refinery, forcing it to suspend production and crude intake.
Another significant attack occurred at the Ust-Luga port in Russia's Leningrad region, where approximately 10 Ukrainian drones were downed. Debris from the downed drones sparked a fire at the Novatek-operated terminal in Ust-Luga, a complex that processes gas condensate into various products and enables the company to ship these products to international markets. Firefighters and emergency services are currently working to extinguish the fire.
One of the most potentially dangerous incidents involved a drone attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. While the fire sparked by the attack was promptly extinguished, a drone damaged an auxiliary transformer, reducing unit three's operational capacity by 50%. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, and radiation levels at the plant site and surrounding area remain within normal limits.
Russian officials reported drone attacks on several power and energy facilities overnight, but there is no information about any damage caused to the industrial enterprise in Syzran. In response to these attacks, Russian units destroyed a total of 95 Ukrainian drones overnight over 13 regions, including Leningrad and Samara, as well as the Crimean Peninsula.
Rosneft-owned oil refinery in Syzran was forced to suspend production and crude intake after the attack, according to sources reported by Reuters. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the latest attack on the industrial enterprise in Syzran.
Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, governor of the Samara region where Syzran is located, posted on Telegram that there were no casualties. Flights were halted for hours on end at several Russian airports overnight, including at the Pulkovo airport in the Leningrad region.
It is important to note that Kyiv has stated that its strikes inside Russia are in response to Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine and are aimed at destroying infrastructure deemed crucial to Moscow's overall military efforts.
The Ust-Luga complex, which opened in 2013, is operated by Novatek. The complex plays a significant role in Russia's fuel exports, processing gas condensate into various products and enabling the company to ship these products to international markets.
As the situation continues to evolve, it is crucial to monitor developments and assess potential impacts on both Ukraine and Russia. The use of drones in military conflict is a growing trend, and the consequences of such attacks can have far-reaching effects on global energy markets and geopolitical relations.
