Russia says overnight Ukrainian drone attack targets gas plant in Orenburg region

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia said on Sunday that an overnight Ukrainian drone attack targeted a natural gas plant in the country’s Orenburg region bordering Kazakhstan.

Orenburg Governor Yevgeny Solntsev said in a morning statement on Telegram that a fire broke out at one of the workshops of the partially damaged facility due to the attack, which resulted in no casualties among workers.

“All emergency services were dispatched to fight the fire,” Solntsev noted, adding that air restrictions imposed during the overnight attack were later lifted.

He did not give any further details concerning the unnamed facility that was targeted.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the country’s air defenses shot down 45 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one over the Orenburg region.

On Oct. 3, Solntsev reported another drone attack targeting an industrial facility in the region, with its administrative center about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) from the front line in Ukraine, claiming that four drones were intercepted at the time over the city of Orsk.

Ukrainian authorities have commented on neither incident, though local media outlets, including state news agency Ukrinform, reported during the incident earlier this month that the country's Security Service (SBU) attacked the Orsknefteorgsintez oil refinery in Orsk, citing sources in the SBU.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have frequently traded accusations in recent months over targeting each other’s energy facilities ahead of winter.

"To significantly restrict Russia’s oil industry is to significantly restrict the war," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an evening video address last month.