In brief
A Ukrainian drone campaign struck the Russian city of Nizhnekamsk in the Tatarstan republic, killing 13 people and wounding 39. Officials confirmed the attack included a child victim and the city, home to major oil refineries, was heavily damaged. Russian authorities said industrial facilities and residential areas were hit, and more than 450 drones were shot down. The incident marks one of the deadliest single attacks on Russia since the war began, prompting a period of mourning in Tatarstan.
At least 13 people, including a child, were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian city of Nizhnekamsk, officials announced on Thursday.
Nizhnekamsk, located more than 1,100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, hosts several major oil refineries and a large petrochemical plant. The strike lasted several hours overnight and into the morning, according to local sources.
Unverified images on social media showed large plumes of smoke and flames, with air‑raid sirens sounding in the background. Russian officials said 39 more people were injured in the attack.
The head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, confirmed the strike and expressed condolences to the families of those lost. “This is a tremendous pain for all of us,” the mayor of Nizhnekamsk, Radmir Belayev, added.
A period of mourning was declared across Tatarstan in the wake of the attack.
Russian authorities said industrial facilities were targeted as well as residential areas, noting that civilian individuals not involved in military operations were present. The Investigative Committee cited the presence of civilians in the hit zone.
Moscow also reported that over 450 Ukrainian drones were shot down by its air defences during the night‑time attack.
The incident comes amid increasing long‑range Ukraine strikes on Russian logistics and energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia continues large‑scale aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities, most recently a combined drone and missile strike on Kyiv that killed 21 people.
The Ukrainian government has not yet commented on the Nizhnekamsk strike, though Kyiv has stepped up attacks on facilities it says support Russia’s war effort.
