Drones hit oil refinery in Ukhta
A Lukoil refinery in the Komi Republic is damaged after a drone attack on Sunday.
The Russian Telegram channel SHOT has posted a video from Ukhta as the warning alert was triggered Sunday afternoon, August 10.
According to eyewitnesses, several drones were spotted over Ukhta and in the nearby city of Sosnogorsk.
This is the first time Ukrainian drones have hit targets in the Komi Republic in northwest-Russia, according to pro-Kremlin Tsargrad TV.
As normal when drones are approaching, mobile internet services are disconnected. It is believed that Ukrainian drones are able to navigate with the help of positioning signals from mobile antennas.
An internet shutdown is also reported Sunday afternoon in Syktyvkar, the capital of the Komi Republic. Flights to and from Ukhta airport is temporarily suspended.
Shortly after the attacks, videos started to appear on social media channels. Some videos show fixed-wing drones approaching, while others have recorded the warning-voice on the city's loudspeaker system.
The portal Ukrainian National News has re-published several of the videos.
It is the private Lukoil company that is the major shareholder in Ukhta refinery. It is unclear how big damages there are. One video shows a hole in one oil tank, but no fire at the location.
The same oil refinery caught fire in August last year, killing two.
Another oil refinery, in the Saratov region, was also hit by Ukrainian drones on Sunday.
