Ukraine launched sustained drone attacks targeting power and refinery plants in the neighbouring Moscow and Tver regions, as Russian officials and media reported on Sunday, it thwarted a “massive” drone attack on western Russia and another targeting the capital.
“Our defenders are repelling an attempted massive UAV attack on the territory of the Bryansk region” bordering Ukraine, regional governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said.
At least 26 drones were “identified and destroyed” by the Russian military, without causing any casualties or damage, Bogomaz said on Telegram.
The Baza Telegram news channel, which is close to Russia’s security services, said loud blasts were heard near the Konakovo Power Station in the Tver region, one of the largest energy producers in central Russia.
Tver Governor Igor Rudenya said five drones were destroyed over his region northwest of the capital. He did not mention possible damage.
A Ukraine-launched drone was destroyed near the Moscow Oil Refinery, said Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. There was no damage or threat to the refinery’s production process, he said.
The refinery, owned by Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Russian gas giant Gazprom, is in southeastern Moscow, according to information on Gazprom Neft’s website.
Ukraine also attempted to strike the Kashira Power Plant in the Moscow region with three drones, Mikhail Shuvalov, head of the Kashira city district, said on Telegram. There was no fire, damage or casualties as a result of the attack, he said.
“Electricity is being supplied without problems,” Shuvalov posted on the Telegram messaging app.
At least nine drones were destroyed in Moscow and in the surrounding region, Sobyanin posted on Telegram.
More than 10 drones were destroyed over the Voronezh region and several were downed over Kursk, Lipetsk, Ryazan and Tula regions, governors of the regions said in posts on Telegram.
There were no injuries or damage as a result of the attacks, according to preliminary information. Russia rarely discloses the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukraine’s air attacks.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Kyiv is pressing the United States for permission to use allied-supplied weapons to strike deep inside Russia.
With the domestic drone industry growing rapidly, Kyiv has been stepping up its attacks on Russia, striking energy, military and transport infrastructure – sectors vital to Moscow’s war efforts.
Kyiv says, however, that it needs to be allowed to use more powerful Western-supplied weapons to inflict greater damage inside Russia and impair Moscow’s abilities to continue its attacks on Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s senior officials were in Washington last week, appealing to the United States for what Zelensky called, “capabilities to truly and fully” protect the country.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
