UAVs hit fuel and energy complex in Russia's Astrakhan region
Photo: illustrative/Associated Press
On the night of March 17, drones attacked the Astrakhan region in Russia. The fuel and energy complex was hit. Explosions also occurred in the area of the city of Yeysk in the Krasnodar Territory (Krasnodar Krai) late on Sunday evening, March 16.
The governor of the Astrakhan region, Igor Babushkin, local public forums and Russian Telegram channels reported this.
Astrakhan region
The governor of the Astrakhan region noted that a massive drone attack was carried out on fuel and energy complex facilities in the area at night.
According to Babushkin, workers at the enterprises were evacuated before the incident.
Electronic warfare and air defense systems "worked normally." However, due to the fall of UAV debris, a fire broke out on the territory of one of the facilities.
"The situation is under control, emergency services specialists immediately began to eliminate the consequences. One person was injured during the attack. The victim has now been taken to the hospital," Babushkin wrote.
According to Russian authorities, debris from one of the drones caused a fire at the facility. The fire has been contained, and Russian emergency services are working on the site.
The governor claims that Ukrainian drones carried out the strike on the fuel and energy complex. The Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed the strikes.
Krasnodar Krai
Explosions were heard in the area of the city of Yeysk, Krasnodar Krai (Russian Federation) late on Sunday evening, March 16.
In Krasnodar Krai, authorities announced a UAV air attack threat at approximately 8:30 p.m. Subsequently, reports emerged indicating a drone threat to the settlements of Shabelskoye, Slavyansk on the Kuban, and Yeysk.
In particular, Russian monitoring channels reported on a "huge number" of drones that were supposedly heading towards the Yeysk district.
According to the Mash TV channel, Yeysk residents heard ten explosions over the city and in the waters of the Sea of Azov.
Russian media reported on air defense operations in the Yeysk region. The SHOT Telegram channel indicated that "several air targets have already been shot down," according to preliminary data.
"Earlier, eyewitnesses heard the characteristic sound of drones flying overhead. No fires or damage on the ground have been recorded yet," the resource's publication states.
The likely target of the UAV strikes was a military airfield.
Meanwhile, it is worth adding that the local authorities have not yet reported anything about the air attack or the consequences of the drone strikes.
This region has frequently been targeted by drones, leading to explosions at facilities critical to Russian forces.
In total, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported the shooting down of 72 drones:
- the largest number — 36 targets — was shot down over the Kursk region,
- another 13 — over the Astrakhan region.
Russian air defense also operated in the Oryol, Volgograd, Tula, Bryansk and Rostov regions, the Republic of Kalmykia and the Krasnodar Territory.
For reference:
On March 13, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that 77 drones allegedly attacked six regions of Russia. Fires were extinguished at several enterprises, in particular, a fire broke out at a plant in the Kaluga region.
On the night of March 10, drones attacked the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery, which is in the Samara region of the Russian Federation. The enterprise fuels the Russian Armed Forces and is essential to the aggressor country.
Also, on the night of March 8, unknown drones struck the KINEF oil refinery in the city of Kirishi in the Leningrad region. As a result of the strikes, the structure of one of the tanks was damaged. Explosions were also heard in the Bryansk region.
In addition, in the Russian Federation, in the city of Syzran, Samara region, unknown drones again attacked an oil refinery on the night of March 4. Last year, it was already the target of a UAV strike in March.
