Ukrainian Drone Strikes Ignite Explosions at Russia's Kirishi Oil Refinery

MOSCOW: Ukrainian drones struck Russia's second-largest oil refinery in Kirishi in the Leningrad region during an overnight attack, triggering large explosions and fires at the facility.

 Meanwhile, Moscow claimed that its air defence systems had downed 81 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the region, Russian news agency TASS reported.  The attack reportedly targeted the Kirishi Petroleum Organic Synthesis plant, also known as the Kinef refinery, located around 800 kilometres north of Ukraine.  The Kyiv Independent reported, citing Ukrainian monitoring channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+, that the strikes caused large explosions at the oil facility.

 NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), which uses satellite data to detect thermal anomalies and fires, also registered multiple hotspots at the facility, The Kyiv Independent reported.

 Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said that Russian air defence systems had intercepted 81 Ukrainian drones over the region, with the operation still underway, TASS reported.

 "As many as 81 enemy UAVs have been downed over the Leningrad Region. The air defence operation is ongoing," Drozdenko was quoted as saying .(ANI)