ADDS REMARKS FROM RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES
By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) -Russia said on Friday that a Ukrainian drone attack targeted an industrial facility in the country’s Orenburg region.
“An attempt was made to attack an industrial facility in the region using enemy drones,” Orenburg Governor Yevgeny Solntsev said on Telegram.
He noted that there were no casualties, saying the operation of the facility was not disrupted and that emergency services are at the site.
Solntsev further said that Orenburg Airport was temporarily closed amid a drone attack alert declared in the region, which he said was later lifted.
He later claimed that four drones were intercepted over the city of Orsk during the day and that the damage at the industrial facility is minor.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces shot down 12 Ukrainian drones between 11 am and 3 pm local time (0800GMT and 1200GMT), of which four were downed over the Orenburg region.
Ukrainian authorities have not immediately commented on the incident, though the country’s state news agency, Ukrinform, reported that Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) attacked the Orsknefteorgsintez oil refinery in Orsk, citing sources in the SBU.
The city is about 13 kilometers (8 miles) from Russia’s border with Kazakhstan, and about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.