At least 13 people are dead and 75 more injured after Ukrainian drones struck the Russian republic of Tatarstan overnight, hitting an oil refinery more than 1,100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
One child was among the victims, Russian authorities said, according to a report by the BBC. The strike on Nizhnekamsk was described as one of the deadliest single attacks on Russian soil since Moscow launched its full-scale war in Ukraine.
Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed that Nizhnekamsk's Tanevo oil refinery had been hit. Ukrainian defence technology manufacturer FirePoint said its FP-1 drones were used in the attack. The strike lasted several hours, from overnight into the morning. Oil refineries in Nizhnekamsk had already been hit on June 12.
Verified images on social media showed large plumes of smoke and flames rising into the sky in daytime, with air raid sirens audible in the background.
The head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, confirmed the strike and offered condolences to the families of those killed. Nizhnekamsk mayor Radmir Belayev said, "This is a tremendous pain for all of us." A period of mourning was declared in the republic.
Moscow confirmed industrial facilities were targeted but said residential areas were struck as well. "Civilian individuals who were not involved in any military operations were present," Russia's Investigative Committee said. The BBC said it could not independently verify that claim.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation, defended the strikes. "The facilities Ukraine targets are used to carry out attacks against Ukraine, manufacture weapons, support Russia's war effort," he said. Kovalenko also said that "every civilian death in Russia is on [President Vladimir] Putin" and that "without Putin, there would have been no aggression. Without the aggression, these people would still be alive."
Moscow said more than 450 Ukrainian drones were shot down by Russian air defenses overnight. Kyiv has become increasingly effective at long-range strikes, often targeting energy infrastructure and warehouses deep inside Russia. Russia, meanwhile, continues large-scale aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities. Last week, a combined drone and missile strike on Kyiv killed 21 people. In Kharkiv, five more people were killed overnight in a Russian artillery attack.
