Ukrainian Drones Strike Oil and Medical Facilities Inside Russia
August 19, 202568 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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In a new escalation of Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia, a massive fire broke out early Tuesday morning at an oil refinery and hospital in Volgograd, southwest Russia, due to the debris from Ukrainian drones, according to an official statement from the regional administration on the "Telegram" app.
Regional Governor Andrei Bocharov confirmed that firefighting teams are working around the clock to contain and extinguish the fires, adding that initial investigations did not report any human injuries, despite significant material losses.
The authorities described the attack as "large," while the Russian Civil Aviation Authority (Rosaviatsiya) stated that flights to and from Volgograd Airport were halted for about three hours overnight due to security conditions.
In another development, the Ukrainian army announced its responsibility for targeting the "Druzhba" pipeline, one of the most important Russian oil export lines, which supplies energy to both Hungary and Slovakia.
The Ukrainian General Staff clarified in a statement on "Telegram" that the attack targeted the "Nikolskoe" pumping station located in the Tambov region of central Russia, about 320 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, resulting in a complete halt of oil pumping at the station.
Robert Braudy, commander of the Ukrainian drone forces, confirmed that the operation was carried out using drones, noting that these strikes are part of a strategy to expand pressure on Russian energy infrastructure.
In contrast, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto attacked Kyiv, accusing it of carrying out "attacks that threaten European energy security," while his Ukrainian counterpart Andrei Sybiha responded that Budapest still "relies excessively on Russia," despite repeated warnings that "Moscow is not a reliable partner in the energy sector."
These developments come amid ongoing tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, coinciding with diplomatic messages exchanged between prominent figures, including a notable letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's wife, Olena Zelenska, to Melania Trump, described as an attempt to "ease the atmosphere" amid rising tensions.
