(NIZHNEKAMSK, TATARSTAN) – A wave of Ukrainian drone strikes has caused significant damage to key industrial and military targets across the Russian Federation over two consecutive nights, according to official reports and verified footage.
On 12th September, an attack on the Taganrog airfield destroyed a Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft, a valuable asset for Russian air defence. The strike also ignited a 1,000-tonne fuel tank and hit a facility producing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the Glant Aero plant. In the Samara region, the KuibyshevAzot complex in Togliatti was targeted. The chemical plant is a linchpin of Russia’s industrial base, producing up to 75 percent of the country’s supply of polyamide 6, nylon 6, technical yarn, and tire cord, in addition to ammonium nitrate and ammonia used in military applications.
The following day, 13th September, a massive oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban was struck, with footage from multiple angles showing its fuel tank farm ablaze. Satellite imagery analysed by Nipro Oint confirmed thick smoke covering the site. The strikes also targeted the Nizhnekamsk refinery in Tatarstan, where drones reportedly fell on workers’ barracks, injuring or displacing foreign labourers from countries including China, India, and Pakistan.
In a separate incident in Tatarstan, Russian air defence forces shot down a light civilian aircraft, mistaking it for a Ukrainian strike UAV. Two pilots were killed. The incident occurred simultaneously with the drone attack on the Nizhnekamsk refinery, which, despite the air defence response, was successfully hit.
The attacks have been framed by Ukrainian officials as a strategy to de-industrialise Russia and sow fear among its population. “This is what happens when you invade a neighbouring country,” said Artur Rehi, a commentator on the conflict. “When you declare war on the entire first world of the European Union, this is what you get.” The strikes are seen as a direct consequence of Russia’s ongoing invasion.
The footage of the Slavyansk-on-Kuban refinery fire was released by Nipro Oint. The attack on the Nizhnekamsk refinery was documented by local residents and shared on social media.
In related diplomatic developments, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that Russia has become a “very junior partner” to China, effectively a vassal state. He suggested that China is the primary beneficiary of the war, making significant economic gains while Russia loses its industrial base. Sikorski also asserted that if Russia were to attack NATO, the alliance’s overwhelming air superiority would allow it to defeat Russia “quite quickly.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed suggestions of vassalage, arguing that the partnership with China is equal. He also commented on the possibility of a meeting between the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating that if Zelenskyy wished to meet, he should come to Moscow.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova launched a bizarre personal attack on President Zelenskyy, claiming his favourite childhood toy was a meat grinder. President Zelenskyy, in response to questions about a potential G20 meeting, stated, “Result matters. It’s not about words.”
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