Ukrainian drones strike key Russian energy sites, disrupt flights
Ukrainian drones attacked a gas processing plant in Astrakhan, Russia, as reported by Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian government's Centre for Countering Disinformation (CCD), on Monday. An explosion also occurred at an oil refinery in Volgograd.
"A gas processing plant in Astrakhan was attacked. This is one of Russia's key energy facilities, handling the processing of gas condensate and the production of gasoline, diesel, and other fuels," Kovalenko wrote on Telegram.
According to the head of the Ukrainian CCD, the plant holds significant importance for the Russian military-industrial complex, as the arms industry heavily relies on the fuel and energy sector.
Reuters reported that Ukrainian drones disrupted flights at several airports in Russia. The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) suspended flights at airports in Astrakhan, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Saratov, Ulyanovsk, Vladikavkaz, Grozny, and Makhachkala.
Similar restrictions were enforced at the airport in Volgograd, where an explosion occurred at an oil refinery, leading to power outages.
Kovalenko believes that the attacks on Russian refineries aim to halt the production of fuel that supplies the Russian armed forces. "It is crucial that the refinery in Volgograd stops producing gasoline, diesel, heating oil, and aviation fuel supplied to the Russian army," noted the head of the CCD.
70 Ukrainian drones
The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that air defence forces intercepted and destroyed 70 Ukrainian drones overnight: 27 in the airspace over the Rostov region, 25 over the Volgograd region, seven over the Astrakhan region, five over the Voronezh region, four over the Belgorod region, and two over the Kursk region.
Ukrainian expert Valeriy Romanenko noted on January 30 in a conversation with PAP that the Russian budget derives income primarily from the export of oil and oil products. Therefore, in recent months, Ukrainian drones have been intensively attacking Russian petrochemical enterprises.
According to Romanenko, Ukrainian operations on Russian territory are becoming increasingly effective.
