Ukrainian drones have struck energy and industrial targets across several Russian regions, in an escalating campaign of strikes against infrastructure.
According to Al Jazeera, in Saratov, a region on the Volga River with several oil refineries that has come under regular Ukrainian attack in recent years.
Governor Roman Busargin said on Sunday, May 31, on Telegram that “civil infrastructure” had been damaged in the overnight strikes.
Ukraine’s military confirmed that it had struck the Saratov oil refinery overnight, but denied Russian accusations that it had hit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Russian-occupied territory.
In the Kirov region, northeast of Moscow and about 1,300km (800 miles) from Ukraine, Governor Alexander Sokolov said drones had hit a facility in the Urzhumsky district.
The Ukrainian army confirmed the attack, saying it had also hit the Lazarevo oil-pumping station in the region.
Governors in the Rostov, Voronezh and Belgorod regions, all of which border Ukraine, also reported strikes, and three civilians were injured in Belgorod.
On Ukraine’s Russian-controlled Crimean Peninsula, Moscow-backed Governor Sergei Aksyonov said authorities were introducing restrictions on sales of petrol.
He did not say why, but Ukraine for months has been attacking fuel infrastructure in southwestern Russia close to Crimea.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine received a new Iris-T air defence missile launcher from Germany as he asked for the provision of more air defence ammunition from Kyiv’s allies.
