A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan has killed at least 13 people and injured 39 others, marking the deadliest Ukrainian strike on Russian territory in more than two years. The Ukrainian drone attack on Tatarstan targeted the area around Nizhnekamsk, home to one of Russia’s major oil-refining complexes.
Russian authorities initially reported 12 deaths before revising the toll to at least 13. The strike occurred hundreds of kilometres from the Ukrainian border, demonstrating Ukraine’s ability to use long-range drones against targets deep inside Russian territory.
Drones Strike Industrial Area Near Nizhnekamsk Refinery
The drones reportedly struck an industrial area in Nizhnekamsk connected with oil-processing infrastructure. The city is home to the large Taneco refinery complex, while footage circulated after the attack showed explosions and fires in the area.
Russian emergency services were deployed following the strikes. Tatarstan authorities confirmed the casualties and said emergency teams were working at the sites that had been hit.
The region had previously been targeted by Ukrainian drones because of its importance to Russia’s energy and industrial infrastructure. Reports from the area said Ukrainian drones again attempted to strike the refinery during a difficult night of attacks.
Explosions were reported around the facility, while Russian air-defence systems were activated in an attempt to intercept incoming drones. The extent of damage to the refinery and other industrial facilities was not immediately established in the reports.
Attack Comes Amid Wider Russia-Ukraine Drone Exchange
The Ukrainian drone attack on Tatarstan was part of a wider overnight exchange of drone strikes between Russia and Ukraine. While Ukrainian drones targeted Tatarstan and other Russian areas, Russian attacks on Ukraine also caused casualties.
At least five people were reported killed in Ukraine during Russian strikes carried out in the same period.
The latest attack represents one of the most serious incidents on Russian territory during the ongoing war, both because of the number of casualties and the distance of the targets from Ukraine.
The strikes have once again focused attention on Russia’s oil and energy infrastructure, which has repeatedly been targeted by Ukrainian long-range drones.
The confirmed human toll made the Tatarstan attack particularly significant, with at least 13 people reported dead and 39 injured.
