Ukraine launched a wave of 209 drones on Tuesday, on Putin’s birthday. They struck 2,000 kilometers inside Russia, setting a new distance record.
Ukraine carried out a large-scale aerial attack on Russia on Monday night to Tuesday, hitting Tyumen, a city in the region of the same name with a population of half a million people, located over 2,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The attack took place on the birthday of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who turns 73 today, as reported by Kyiv Post.
Moscow announced the interception of 209 drones - 184 between local hours 23:00 and 6:00 on Tuesday and another 25 between 7:00 and 8:00. Most were neutralized over the border regions of Kursk and Belgorod, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
According to locals quoted by the independent Russian channel Astra, the targeted objective was the Antipinskii refinery located in the southeastern part of the city, as reported by Kyiv Independent.
Two explosions were heard near the refinery in Tyumen, owned by Rusinvest LLC, according to local Telegram channels.
Videos distributed on Telegram showed fire trucks and ambulances rushing to the affected area.
Regional authorities in Tyumen stated that there were no explosions, fires, or injuries, nearby factories continued to operate, and the situation is under control. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not comment on the incident.
Locals reported temporary issues with mobile and internet connections in the area, according to local media.
According to the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, the Tyumen refinery produces gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products and processes about 9 million tons of oil per year.
Ukraine has previously targeted the region this summer. A source within Ukraine's military intelligence agency (GUR) told Kyiv Independent on July 11 that they led an operation that caused an explosion at a crucial gas pipeline in the region.
Since the summer, Ukraine has escalated drone attacks on oil and gas facilities in Russia, hitting refineries in several regions. The strikes have exacerbated fuel shortages in Russia, driving gasoline prices to record levels and forcing the Moscow government to suspend fuel exports at least until the end of 2025.
As of September 28, 38% of Russia's primary refining capacity - equivalent to 338,000 tons per day - was shut down, with gasoline production dropping by one million tons, leading to an approximately 20% deficit in domestic market demand, according to Financial Times.
The scale of refinery closures reached an unprecedented level. The shutdowns in September surpassed the previous record set in August when Reuters calculated a 6.4 million-ton processing capacity closure.
T.D.