Astrakhan, Russia – A fuel and energy facility in Russia’s Astrakhan Oblast was attacked by Ukrainian drones on March 17, resulting in a fire, according to regional governor Igor Babushkin.
“Overnight, the Ukrainian Armed Forces again attempted a massive drone attack on facilities located in the region, including a fuel and energy complex,” Babushkin stated.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its forces intercepted and destroyed 13 drones over the oblast.
However, debris from the downed drones caused a fire at the targeted facility, and one person was hospitalized, according to Babushkin.
Astrakhan Oblast is located in southwestern Russia, bordering Kazakhstan, and the city of Astrakhan is approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the front lines in Ukraine.
This attack is part of Ukraine’s increasing strategy to target Russia’s energy and military infrastructure, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s ongoing war efforts.
Recent attacks include a drone strike on the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai on March 14, which ignited a gasoline storage tank.
Kyiv’s focus on hitting Russian refineries, oil depots, and defense industry sites is intended to limit Moscow’s capacity to sustain its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Additional reporting by The Kyiv Independent
