Fires Break Out in Russia as a Result of Ukrainian Drone Attacks

Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against Russia caused fires at two power plants.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine targeted 15 different regions, including the capital Moscow, with 158 UAVs.

The Russian army announced that these UAVs were destroyed.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the attack caused a fire in a technical room at an oil refinery in the capital.

Sobyanin reported that at least 11 UAVs targeted the capital and surrounding areas.

Explosions were also heard 120 km from Moscow, in the Tver region, near the Konakovo Power Plant.

Russian media reported that a fire broke out at the facility.

The regional governor, Igor Rudenya, confirmed that the fire that started in the Konakovsky district due to the drone strike had been brought under control, but did not give details about where the fire was hit.

Local authorities said the Kashira Power Plant in Moscow was also targeted, but there were no fires, damage or casualties as a result.

The BBC’s fact-checking service, BBC Verify, reviewed and verified videos posted on social media showing explosions at all three locations. The footage appears to show fires at the Konakovo Power Station and the Moscow Refinery.

Ukraine has not commented on the matter.

Kiev’s long-range attacks on Russia have been increasing over the past few months, with the Ukrainian military launching multiple drones simultaneously at strategic targets several times a week.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities announced that a 23-year-old truck driver was killed in a Russian airstrike on a grain convoy in the Sumy region at night.

Four people were injured in the attack, which left one truck ablaze and about 20 other trucks damaged, officials said.

The Ukrainian air force announced that it destroyed eight of the 11 UAVs sent by Russia and that grain and agricultural facilities were targeted in the Mykolaiv region.

Sumy borders Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukraine has been waging a military operation for about a month.

Ukraine claimed last week that it controlled 1,294 square kilometres of territory. Kiev said about 600 Russian soldiers had also been captured.

Russian forces continue to advance rapidly in the town of Pokrovsk as part of their operations in the Donetsk region.

Pokrovsk plays a critical role as a logistics hub for Ukrainian forces, as it is home to a major railway station and is located at the intersection of several important roads.