In a bold escalation of its military strategy, Ukraine deployed long-range drones to strike an industrial facility approximately 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) inside Russian territory, according to local officials on Tuesday. The attack targeted a plant in Sterlitamak, located in Russia’s Bashkortostan region. Regional Governor Radiy Habirov confirmed that two drones were intercepted and shot down, with no casualties reported. The facility, whose specific purpose was not disclosed, continued normal operations. However, an explosion at the Sterlitamak Petrochemical Plant caused partial collapse of its water treatment facility, though the cause remains unclear. This plant, which produces rubber and aviation fuel, had not previously been targeted in such attacks.
Meanwhile, the conflict on the ground remains intense, with Ukrainian forces struggling to repel a Russian offensive in the strategically vital city of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region. This area has been a focal point of the war for over a year, with Russia recently intensifying its efforts and claiming incremental progress. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, noted that Russian forces are advancing in the Pokrovsk direction and appear increasingly comfortable operating within the city itself.
Ukraine’s use of domestically produced drones to strike deep into Russian territory has disrupted Moscow’s war efforts, targeting manufacturing plants, oil refineries, and military logistics hubs. These strikes have reportedly caused embarrassment for Russian officials, who have been reluctant to disclose details of the damage. In addition to the Sterlitamak attack, explosions were reported in the Nizhny Novgorod region, home to an oil refinery and petrochemical plant, though officials did not confirm these incidents.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Ukraine reported that Russia launched seven missiles and 130 strike and decoy drones at Ukrainian targets, resulting in one death and 11 injuries, including two children. Romania’s Defense Ministry also reported that Russia carried out two attacks on Ukraine’s Danube port infrastructure near the NATO member’s border, prompting the deployment of fighter jets for air policing missions.