Regional officials reported that a fire erupted at energy facilities in Russia’s Smolensk region following a drone attack launched from Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in Lipetsk, located in Russia’s southwest, residents were evacuated from certain areas after a drone crashed into an industrial park.
Vasily Anokhin, the governor of the Smolensk region, expressed on the Telegram messaging app, “Once again, our region faces attacks from Ukrainian UAVs.”
Vasily Anokhin, communicating via the Telegram messaging app, reported, “As a result of an enemy attack on civilian fuel and energy facilities, fires broke out in the Smolensk and Yartsevo districts.”
The nature of the facilities affected was not immediately discerned, with no major oil refineries present in the Smolensk region.
In a separate incident, Igor Artamonov, the governor of the Lipetsk region in Russia’s southwest, stated that a drone had crashed in an industrial zone.
While there were no reported injuries, nearby residents were evacuated as a precautionary measure, as conveyed on Telegram.
“The object was isolated, there was no threat of an attack on residential area,” Artamonov said. “It was decided not to turn on warning systems in the city and to evacuate only the area where the UAV fell.”
Anokhin did not provide details regarding any damage incurred or the specific target of the attack. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the reports.
There has been no immediate response from Ukraine. Kyiv seldom comments on incidents occurring within Russia’s borders.
However, Ukrainian officials have previously indicated that targeting Russia’s vital energy, military, and transportation infrastructure aims to weaken Moscow’s broader war efforts.
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