Ukraine on Friday said it had struck a Russian oil refinery and a microchip factory in a huge drone attack that caused fires at the refinery’s production facilities and an oil pumping station.
Russia said hours earlier that its forces had repelled an overnight drone attack, but four industry sources confirmed that one of Russia’s oldest refineries had been struck in the city of Ryazan southeast of Moscow overnight.
Media Talk Africa gathered that the attack set ablaze oil storage at the refinery and damaged equipment including a railway loading rack and a hydrotreater unit used to remove impurities from refined products.
Video footage posted on social media showed smoke and flames engulfing an oil refinery in Ryazan, and people apparently running for safety in panic.
If confirmed, the overnight strikes underline Ukraine’s ability to hit targets deep inside Russia as the two sides try to strengthen their positions before any peace talks get under way following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The U.S. president, Donald Trump, has said he intends to bring a swift end to nearly three years of war in Ukraine.
