A major Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Tatarstan region has killed at least 13 people and injured 75 others, as Kyiv steps up long-range strikes on Russian energy and military-linked facilities.
At least 13 people have been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian republic of Tatarstan, Russian officials say, in one of the deadliest single attacks inside Russia since the war began.
One child was among those killed, while 75 people were injured in the attack on the city of Nizhnekamsk, more than 1,100km from the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine has not officially commented on the reported civilian deaths, but its Armed Forces confirmed that the Tanevo oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk was hit.
Ukrainian defence technology company FirePoint said its FP-1 drones were used in the attack. The strike continued for several hours overnight and into Tuesday morning, according to local reports.
Russia said industrial facilities were targeted but claimed residential areas were also hit.
“Civilian individuals who were not involved in any military operations were present,” Russia’s Investigative Committee said.
The claim has not been independently verified.
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Tatarstan leader Rustam Minnikhanov confirmed the attack and offered condolences to the families of those killed.
“This is a tremendous pain for all of us,” Nizhnekamsk mayor Radmir Belayev said.
A period of mourning has now been declared across Tatarstan.
Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian oil facilities and other sites it says help fund or support Moscow’s war effort.
“The facilities Ukraine targets are used to carry out attacks against Ukraine, manufacture weapons, support Russia’s war effort,” said Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation.
Russia said more than 450 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across several regions.
The attack comes as both sides continue to intensify their aerial campaigns. Ukraine has carried out increasingly deep strikes inside Russia, while Moscow continues to launch large drone and missile attacks against Ukrainian cities.
Last week, a Russian attack on Kyiv killed 21 people, while five people were killed in an artillery strike on Kharkiv.
