MOSCOW: A new drone attack, attributed to Ukraine, resulted in a fire at a refinery in southern Russia, according to the Krasnodar regional authorities. The incident claimed one life, with the individual reportedly suffering a heart attack amidst the chaos.
The fire at the Slavyansk oil refinery has been fully extinguished, averting further casualties or threats to the surrounding area, as stated by the Krasnodar region operational headquarters on Telegram.
Roman Sinyagovsky, head of the Slavyansk Municipal District, reported one injured plant worker and attributed the attack to Ukraine.
The Slavyansk-on-Kuban refinery, situated east of the Sea of Azov, fell victim to the drone strike amid escalating tensions in the region, particularly ahead of Russia’s forthcoming presidential election.
This incident follows a series of drone attacks targeting refineries and energy installations across Russia in recent days. A similar attack triggered a fire at a refinery in Samara, while refineries in Ryazan and outside Nizhny Novgorod were also struck earlier in the week.
The escalating violence has resulted in casualties, with two deaths reported in Belgorod following drone strikes on Saturday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged retaliation against Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory, signaling a potential escalation in the conflict.