Ukraine hits oil and electricity facilities with drone attacks across Russia
- 18 March, 10:12
Ukraine deployed 35 drones to various locations in Russia, including the capital region, causing a fire at an oil refinery and disruptions to electricity in border areas, according to Moscow's defense ministry.
Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, reported that one drone was shot down near Domodedovo airport, while two were downed over Kaluga and four over Yaroslavl.
The attacks in Yaroslavl, around 500 miles from Ukraine's border, marked some of the furthest drone incursions to date. Additional drones were intercepted over Belgorod, Kursk, and Rostov regions bordering Ukraine.
Russian authorities also noted casualties, including a 16-year-old girl killed and her father injured in shelling in the Belgorod region, and one man killed and 11 injured in another attack.
Russian forces intercepted 12 rockets launched from Ukraine and a Ukrainian military helicopter allegedly heading towards Belgorod, reportedly shot down in Ukraine's Sumy region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked his military and intelligence for their new "long-range capabilities" in a video address, without directly addressing Moscow's reports of intensified attacks.
The Russian defense ministry confirmed the drones were neutralized, but a fire broke out at an oil refinery. One person died of a heart attack, but the fire was quickly extinguished.
According to a Ukrainian intelligence source speaking to Reuters, the SBU domestic security service's long-range attack drones have targeted 12 Russian oil refineries during the war.
