Overnight Ukrainian drone attacks sparked a brief fire at one of southern Russia’s largest oil refineries, as well as a hospital in the city of Volgograd, authorities said early Tuesday.
Volgograd region Governor Andrei Bocharov said the fires were caused as a result of debris that fell when Russian air defense systems shot down Ukrainian drones in the sky.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones in the Volgograd region overnight, in addition to five each in the Rostov region and annexed Crimea.
Bocharov said no one was injured in the air attacks on the Volgograd region, where civil aviation authorities introduced temporary flight restrictions. Hours after the governor’s statement, local authorities told state media that the fire was put out.
The Volgograd oil refinery is Lukoil’s largest in southern Russia. Ukrainian drone strikes knocked out operations at the facility last Thursday.
Oil processing at the refinery has been suspended at least until the middle of September, Reuters reported on Monday, citing two anonymous sources familiar with the matter.
Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have pushed wholesale gasoline prices in the country to record highs since the start of the year.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles against the country overnight, making it one of the largest Russian air attacks this month.
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