Fires erupt at Russian energy facilities following Ukrainian drone strikes

Ukraine has initiated a series of overnight drone strikes against Russia, igniting fires at two Russian energy facilities.

Russia’s defence ministry reported that over 158 Ukrainian drones were used in the attacks across 15 regions, including Moscow. The Russian military asserted that they managed to intercept and destroy the drones. However, the attack led to a blaze at an oil refinery in Moscow, specifically in a "separate technical room," according to Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Sobyanin reported that at least 11 drones targeted Moscow and its surrounding areas. In the Tver region, approximately 75 miles (120 km) from the capital, loud explosions were heard near the Konakovo Power Station, and Russian media are reporting a fire at the facility.

Governor Igor Rudenya confirmed that a fire in Konakovsky district, caused by the attack, has been contained, though he did not specify what was damaged. Additionally, local officials reported that drones attempted to strike the Kashira Power Plant in the Moscow region, but no fires, damage, or casualties were reported.  

The social media videos showing explosions at all three sites, with fires appearing at both the Konakovo Power Station and the Moscow refinery were analyzed and confirmed. Ukraine has yet to comment on these reports, but Ukrainian forces have been intensifying long-range strikes within Russia, frequently launching multiple drones at key targets in recent months. 

Western technology and financing are aiding Ukraine in conducting numerous long-range strikes within Russia.   In the Sumy region of Ukraine, a 23-year-old truck driver was killed in a Russian airstrike on a grain convoy overnight. Local officials reported that four others were injured, with one truck catching fire and about 20 others damaged. Ukraine's air force also claimed to have intercepted eight out of 11 Russian drones, noting that grain and agricultural facilities in the Mykolaiv region were also targeted.  

Sumy, which borders Russia's Kursk region, has been a focal point of Ukrainian military operations for nearly a month. While progress has recently slowed, Ukraine reported last week that it controls 1,294 square kilometers (500 square miles) of territory, including 100 settlements, and has captured nearly 600 Russian soldiers.   In the eastern Donetsk region, Russian forces are advancing on the key town of Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub for Ukrainian forces due to its major railway station and strategic road intersections.

Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, described the situation as "difficult" but assured that all necessary actions are being taken promptly. The latest Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure occurred just one day after a Russian-guided bomb hit a playground in Kharkiv, resulting in the death of a 14-year-old girl. A similar attack on a residential building in the northeastern city killed six more people.

These recent Ukrainian actions also follow a massive Russian assault on Ukraine's energy grid last week, involving drones and missiles, which resulted in at least nine fatalities over two days. Russia's campaign against Ukraine's energy system began shortly after its full-scale invasion in February 2022.