Ukrainian long-range drones struck one of Russia’s biggest gas processing plants in Astrakhan, Kyiv said on Monday
Astrakhan Governor Igor Babushkin visited the region’s gas processing plant on Monday following a night-time drone attack halting its operations.
The facility, a key producer of gasoline, diesel fuel, and Russia’s main supplier of sulfur for explosives, processes over 8,000 tons of gas condensate daily.
Babushkin said operations were shut down ahead of the strike, with employees moved to a bomb shelter. Footage from the site showed the fire had already been extinguished.
“The shutdown was conducted routinely, with no threat to personnel,” the governor’s press service stated.
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Firefighters said that cooling operations were in progress, with sufficient resources on hand to prevent further issues.
During a meeting with plant management, Babushkin emphasised the importance of tracking emissions and commended emergency teams for their response.
The attack was one of several Ukrainian drone strikes on six Russian regions overnight. One strike also damaged the Lukoil oil refinery in Volgograd, according to Russia’s Defence Ministry.
It was the second time in three days that the oil refinery — which processes 6% of Russia’s oil — was hit. Russian authorities confirmed a brief fire at the facility.
The attack is part of Ukraine’s efforts to slow Russia’s military advance as the war nears its third year anniversary.
