Ukraine targeted industrial facilities across several regions in Russia overnight, authorities said on Sunday.
In the Tula region, south of Moscow, Governor Dmitry Milyaev reported that debris from a downed drone fell onto the site of a chemical plant in Novomoskovsk.
Unconfirmed video footage and reports emerged on social media showing a fire, suggesting that the Azot facility, one of Russia’s largest chemical plants, was hit.
The site is important to the Russian war economy. It produces mainly fertilizer, but also components for the production of ammunition in defence industries.
The governor initially provided no details about the extent of the damage or possible health risks to the population.
In the Yaroslavl region, Governor Mikhail Yevrayev spoke of a drone attack on industrial facilities used for fuel storage. A fire broke out, but there were no injuries, he said.
The Ukrainian SBU intelligence service said later on Sunday that several drones hit a depot in Rybinsk, which is used as a state reserve.
The SBU stated that the fuel stored there, including petrol and diesel, was being used to supply the Russian army – and was therefore a legitimate target.
A video released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky showed a major fire with plumes of black smoke and drones flying overhead.
“Ukraine is carrying out its plan of long-range sanctions against Russia,” Zelensky wrote on X. “We have offered the Russian leadership every possible format for negotiations – and the only response was continued aggression and attempts to expand it.”
“It stands to reason that the war is coming back to where it came from,” he added.
The Russian Defence Ministry said early on Sunday that a total of 249 aerial objects were shot down in various regions.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that several drone attacks had been repelled.
The capital’s Zhukovsky Airport had to be closed due to an air raid alert. Restrictions were also in place at Domodedovo Airport.
Zelensky praised the strikes, saying attacks triggered air raid alerts in 28 Russian regions.
Flight restrictions were in place at six airports, the Ukrainian president wrote.
Ukraine has been fending off the full-scale Russian invasion for more than four years. In recent months, it has stepped up long-range drone attacks on industrial facilities and refineries in Russia, targeting companies that are vital to the country’s war effort.
There have been reports of shortages at petrol stations in Moscow and St Petersburg, as well as the central republic of Tatarstan.
The situation is particularly difficult on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. However, the Russian government insists that the situation is under control.