Ukraine strikes industrial facilities in Russia – Major fire

Ukraine has triggered fires at industrial facilities in the Tula and Yaroslavl regions with drone attacks on Russia. In the Tula region, south of Moscow, Governor Dmitry Milyaev reported that debris from a downed drone had fallen onto the grounds of a chemical plant in Novomoskovsk. There were reports and unverifiable video footage of a fire circulating on social media. According to these reports, the Asot plant—which is crucial to the war economy—was hit.

Asot is one of Russia’s largest chemical plants, primarily producing fertilizer but also components for the production of ammunition in defense plants. The governor initially provided no details on the extent of the damage or potential health risks to the population.

In the Yaroslavl region, Governor Mikhail Yevraev spoke of a drone attack on industrial facilities used for fuel storage. A fire had broken out, he said. There were no injuries, the official reported. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) later reported that several drones had struck the warehouse in Rybinsk, which is used as a state reserve.

Russian state reserve hit – air traffic restricted

The fuels stored there, including gasoline and diesel, are also used to supply the Russian army—and are therefore legitimate targets, the SBU stated. A video released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shows a massive fire with black clouds of smoke and drones flying overhead.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported this morning that a total of 249 aerial objects had been shot down in various regions. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that several drone attacks had been repelled. According to authorities, Zhukovsky Airport had to be closed due to an air raid alert. Restrictions were also reportedly in place at the capital’s Domodedovo Airport.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy praised the intelligence service for the strikes. Rybinsk is located 700 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. In total, Kyiv’s attacks triggered air raid alerts in 28 regions; air traffic restrictions were in place at six airports, the head of state announced on Telegram.

Zelenskyy: War Returns to Russia

This is a response to Russia’s refusal to end the war. “We have offered the Russian leadership every possible format for negotiations, and the response has been nothing but a continuation of the aggression and attempts to expand it. Logically, the war is now returning to where it came from,” he wrote.

Ukraine is defending itself against Russia’s war of aggression, which has been ongoing for more than four years, with counterattacks on the neighboring country’s industrial facilities. These attacks, carried out primarily with drones and now increasing in frequency, repeatedly strike industrial facilities that are vital to Russia’s war economy.

The damage is sometimes massive and is now also affecting fuel supplies. Reports of gasoline shortages at gas stations are now coming in even from Tatarstan, far from Ukraine, as well as from Moscow and St. Petersburg. The situation is particularly difficult on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Russia annexed back in 2014. The Russian government emphasizes that the situation is under control.