KYIV: Ukrainian forces struck an oil terminal and electrical substation in western Russia, a security source in Kyiv told AFP on Monday. The attacks mark the latest incidents in a series of aerial assaults between Russian and Ukrainian forces, particularly focusing on each other’s energy infrastructure. These actions have intensified pressure on Ukraine’s already strained energy sector.
The source within Ukraine’s defense sector disclosed that drones affiliated with Ukrainian security forces executed successful strikes on an oil terminal in the Belgorod region and an electrical substation in the Lipetsk region of Russia.
While there has been no official confirmation of the attack from Russian authorities in Belgorod, the governor of Lipetsk acknowledged a fire at a substation without directly attributing blame to Ukraine. Governor Igor Artamonov stated on social media that there were no casualties reported and that efforts were underway to extinguish the blaze.
The Russian defense ministry reported earlier that its forces had intercepted and shot down 31 Ukrainian drones overnight, spanning various regions including the annexed Crimean peninsula. Notably, 12 drones were downed over the Belgorod region, where a Ukrainian strike purportedly resulted in 15 fatalities on Sunday. Additionally, eight drones were intercepted over the Kursk region and four over the neighboring Lipetsk region.
Furthermore, the defense ministry claimed the destruction of seven drones and four Storm Shadow missiles over Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
