(SALAVAT, BASHKORTOSTAN) – Ukrainian drones struck a logistics hub owned by Wildberries and caused a fire at one of Russia’s largest oil refineries in the republic of Bashkortostan on Thursday, according to regional officials and exiled news outlets.
Regional head Radiy Khabirov said 16 drones were shot down over the city of Salavat and five others over the nearby Chishminsky district. The locations are approximately 1,200 kilometres east of Moscow.
“Two people were injured in today’s attacks. Both are in hospitals receiving all necessary care,” Khabirov wrote on Telegram.
Khabirov said falling debris sparked a fire in an industrial area. Exiled media outlet Astra identified the site as the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery, which accounts for 2.7 percent of Russia’s total refining throughput. The facility had halted operations after being damaged in an attack last month.
Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, said a fire broke out at another industrial zone that houses one of its facilities. The company noted that staff had been evacuated in advance and that no retail merchandise was being stored there.
Khabirov said a Ka-32 firefighting helicopter was deployed to help ground crews extinguish the blaze in the Chishminsky district, where the logistics hub is located.
Astra reported that construction of the complex, totalling 186,800 square metres, was not yet complete.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence systems intercepted 362 Ukrainian drones across 18 Russian regions and annexed Crimea between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
The drone barrage caused temporary flight suspensions and restrictions at regional airports in the southern cities of Ufa, Kazan, Samara and Krasnodar.
The footage was released by the exiled news outlet Astra and regional officials in Bashkortostan.
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