(Kyiv) Ukraine claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a refinery in southwestern Russia on Monday, with the Russian military saying it destroyed 80 Ukrainian drones overnight and early in the morning.
A source within the Ukrainian defense said that several drones had attacked the refinery in Tuapse, a city on the shores of the Black Sea in the Russian region of Krasnodar (southwest), causing a fire.
“The extent of the damage is being clarified,” said the source, who added that it was a refinery owned by Russian giant Rosneft, which has a port terminal and that nearly 90% of its production is intended for export.
Russian regional authorities said on Telegram that the fire at the refinery was caused by “falling drone debris.”
“The Kyiv regime has again tried to attack civilian infrastructure in Tuapse with drones,” the source said, adding that nearly a hundred rescuers had been deployed to extinguish the flames. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties.
The Russian army announced on Monday that it had shot down 80 Ukrainian drones during the night and early morning, including 47 in the southern region of Rostov alone, which borders Ukraine.
According to the source, another drone was destroyed over the Belgorod airfield, one over the Voronezh airfield, one over the Smolensk airfield, eight over the Krasnodar airfield and 17 over the Black and Azov seas.
PHOTO ANATOLII STEPANOV, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
A resident watches as firefighters extinguish a fire in a house destroyed in a missile attack in the town of Kostyatynivka, Donetsk region, July 21, 2024.
In a separate statement, the Russian military added that it had destroyed five drones at around 7 a.m. (midnight Eastern time) over the Astrakhan region.
Russia announces almost daily that it has destroyed Ukrainian drones launched against its territory.
Kyiv says it is carrying out the strikes in response to Russian bombings that have plagued Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February 2022.