Ukrainian drones hit Lukoil refinery in Russia’s Komi Republic

Ukrainian drones struck the Lukoil oil refinery in Russia’s northern Komi Republic, nearly 2,000 km from the Ukrainian border, regional officials and local media said on Sunday.

Acting regional governor Rostislav Goldstein said workers in the flight zone had been evacuated and there were no casualties. Local media reported the target was the Lukoil-Ukhtaneftepererabotka refinery in the city of Ukhta, forcing the evacuation of a nearby shopping mall, the suspension of airport operations and the shutdown of mobile internet.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR) said it carried out the strike, damaging a fuel storage tank, causing a spill, and hitting a gas and condensate processing unit. It said the plant supplied fuel to the Russian military.

The “Komi Live” channel posted video showing a hole in one of the tanks. Russian social media accounts claimed the attack may have involved Polish-made FlyEye drones launched from Ukraine’s Chernihiv region. The drones can carry up to 4 kg of explosives, fly for about three hours and reach speeds of 120 km/h.