The onslaught is arguably the “largest single” operation since the war between the two Eastern European nations broke out on February 24, 2022.
According to the BBC, a verified video footage showed a fireball rising over the refinery and pumping station in the Ryazan region, southeast of Moscow, the Russian capital city.
While Ukrainian officials described the attack as “targeted”, Russia claimed it had shot down 121 drones that had targeted 13 regions, including Ryazan and Moscow, but reported no damage.
In the meantime, Ukrainian authorities said a Russian drone that hit a residential building in its Kyiv region, left three people dead, and one other injured.
The report quoted Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s centre for countering disinformation, as confirming both offensives on Telegram.
Bloggers on the social media site Telegram posted images and videos of fires raging in Ryazan. Footage verified as genuine by the BBC shows people fleeing from the site in cars as a blaze takes hold.
Russian state-owned news agency RIA cited a statement from the Kremniy plant in Bryansk, which said work had been suspended after an attack involving six drones. Pavel Malkov, the regional governor, said emergency services were responding.
The Kremlin acknowledged the attacks but made no mention of damage or casualties.
It claimed to have destroyed 121 Ukrainian drones, including six over the Moscow region, 20 in the Ryazan region, and a number over the border region of Bryansk.
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
