Ukrainian Drone Attack Kills 13 at Nizhnekamsk Oil Hub in Russia’s Tatarstan

A Ukrainian drone attack on the petroleum hub of Nizhnekamsk in Russia’s Tatarstan region killed 13 people and injured 78 others, local authorities said on Monday, with the Ukrainian military saying it hit an oil refinery there.

“killing 13 people and injuring 78 others”

Associated Press

The city of Nizhnekamsk, about 1,200 kilometers east of the Ukrainian border and home to two refineries and a petrochemical plant, came under a “massive” drone attack targeting industrial and civilian facilities, according to the press service of Tatarstan’s head, Rustam Minnikhanov.

ABC News

Russian officials did not say what the drones targeted, but the Ukrainian General Staff said its forces struck a Taneco oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk, starting a fire.

In a separate account, Reuters said Russian authorities announced on Monday that at least 13 people were killed and 39 were injured in a Ukrainian drone attack that targeted industrial and civilian facilities in Nizhnekamsk, and that investigators opened a criminal inquiry into what they described as a terrorist attack.

Reuters reported that Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said the attack targeted industrial facilities and residential buildings and accused Kyiv of deliberately targeting civilians, while Kyiv and Moscow have repeatedly stressed that they do not target civilians.

In the same Reuters account, Russian investigators said they opened a criminal inquiry and noted in a statement that Ukraine bombed residential areas and that a child was among the civilians killed.

Al Jazeera

Zelenskyy, speaking late Sunday on social media, said, “We do deliver entirely justified responses, and every Russian strike will be met with our response.”

Zelenskyy also added, “The only reason this is still continuing is Russia's unwillingness to end this war.”

The Associated Press said Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign has targeted Russian oil facilities almost daily in recent months, causing fuel shortages in Russia, eating into refining capacity and unsettling the population.

“caused fuel shortages in Russia, eaten into its refining capacity”

Associated Press

The Associated Press also reported that repairing the stricken refineries is complicated for Russia, because Ukraine’s attacks have damaged specialized equipment that is often imported.

Reuters said the attack was among the largest civilian losses Russia has suffered in months, and it described the incident as part of a wider exchange of accusations between Kyiv and Moscow over violent attacks that cause deaths.

The Associated Press further linked the escalation to Ukraine’s stated aim to push Russia into peace talks, quoting Zelenskyy that Ukraine is trying to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and stop his full-scale invasion launched in 2022.