Ukraine attacked Russia again with drones on Independence Day. An oil refinery near St. Petersburg was also hit, and a fire broke out. Russia also attacked again.
Ukraine attacked several targets in Russia on its Independence Day today. According to Russian sources, there were attacks on the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga, the city of Syzran, and a nuclear power plant near Kursk. In total, Russian air defense reported the downing of 95 Ukrainian drones.
Russia also continued its airstrikes. According to Ukrainian media, citing the air force, the nighttime wave of attacks included a ballistic missile and 72 drones. Ukraine was able to repel 48 of these, and the remaining aircraft landed in ten different locations. No details were provided.
Ukrainian drone attack sets refinery on fire
Russia reported a fire at an oil refinery following a Ukrainian drone attack. According to local authorities, the fire broke out in the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, located on the Estonian border. The fire has now reportedly been extinguished. Ten drones were shot down over the port, Alexander Drosdenko, the governor of the so-called Leningrad Region, which surrounds the city of St. Petersburg, wrote on Telegram.
Debris would have caused a fire at the Novatek terminal. Novatek is an oil and gas producer close to the Kremlin. According to official information, the storage tanks are not affected. The facility produces gasoline and kerosene, among other products. Russia also needs aviation fuel to wage its war of aggression against Ukraine. The terminal on the Baltic Sea has therefore already been attacked in the past.
Attack on industrial plant, fire near nuclear power plant
According to Russian sources, drone attacks also targeted the city of Syzran in the southern Samara region. Regional Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev reported on the Telegram short message service that an industrial plant was targeted. According to preliminary information, there were no deaths or injuries. An oil refinery is also located in Syzran.
In the Russian region of Kursk, bordering Ukraine, an outbuilding of the nuclear power plant caught fire after a Ukrainian drone was shot down. There were no casualties, the power plant operator announced. The plant has been shut down.
Since the beginning of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly warned of the risks posed by fighting near nuclear facilities. The agency expressed particular concern about the safety of nuclear power plants in the Russian region of Kursk and the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhia, which are threatened by fighting and bombing.
Put more pressure on Russia
According to authorities, Russian air defense shot down a drone en route to Moscow on Saturday evening. Specialists were examining debris on the ground, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. Several airports in central Russia temporarily suspended operations, according to the aviation authority Rosavyatsia.
There have been no comments from the Ukrainian side regarding the attacks so far. On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his intention to launch intensified counterattacks against Russia. Zelenskyy stated that"pressure must be exerted on Russia." About a year ago, Ukrainian units advanced into the Russian region of Kursk. They temporarily captured the town of Sudzha and surrounding areas. However, in the following months, the Ukrainians were pushed back.
Zelenskyy congratulates compatriots on Independence Day
It is unclear whether the current attacks are related to Ukrainian Independence Day. Ukraine declared its independence on August 24, 1991. Since then, this date has been the country's national holiday.
In a video address, Zelensky congratulated his compatriots on Independence Day."We will create a Ukraine that has sufficient strength and potential to live in security and peace," the president promised. In the video, he can be seen against the backdrop of Independence Square in Kyiv. He emphasized in the video that the mighty Statue of Liberty on the Maidan is also a symbol of Ukraine's indestructibility, which has withstood Russia's war of aggression for three and a half years.
