Ukrainian forces have launched a new series of drone strikes against companies involved in supplying the Russian army, some located thousands of kilometres away from the Ukrainian border.
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Ukraine's armed forces carried out a series of drone strikes in Russian regions on Monday night, attacking defence industry-operated enterprises and infrastructure facilities.
One of the targets was the Arzamas instrument-making plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region. This enterprise produces optical, electronic, and navigation systems for military vehicles, aircraft, and missiles.
Arzamas lies about 759 kilometres from Ukraine's border.
According to regional governor Gleb Nikitin, an employee of the enterprise was killed, while two others were injured and taken to hospital.
In the region of Tula, a Ukrainian drone strike "on one of the civilian enterprises" killed two people and injured three, according to local authorities.
Tula lies roughly 370 kilometres from the Russia-Ukraine border.
On Sunday night, the Saratov oil refinery in Russia's southwest was attacked by drones. There were explosions and a fire at the enterprise.
According to a report by the AFU General Staff, which confirmed the strike, the oil refinery "is one of the key fuel infrastructure facilities of Russia, providing the occupation troops with oil products."
Another oil refinery was attacked in the Komi Republic. There, according to the Ukrainian media, which cite sources in military intelligence, drones hit a tank with oil products and damaged a gas processing unit.
This refinery, also involved in supplying the Russian army, is located almost 2,000 kilometres from Ukraine’s border, in Russia's northeast.
Russia's Defence Ministry claimed the air defence forces shot down more than 30 Ukrainian drones overnight — over Nizhny Novgorod, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Orel, Kursk, Voronezh, Tula and Ryazan regions, as well as over annexed Crimea.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that seven drones heading towards the Russian capital had been shot down.
Restrictions on receiving and dispatching aircraft were imposed at several Russian airports due to Ukrainian drone raids, particularly Saratov, Volgograd, Kaluga and Nizhny Novgorod, Russian air transport agency Rosaviatsia said.