Moscow, September 13 (HS): A drone attack caused a fire at the Bashneft oil refinery in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, on Saturday, regional authorities confirmed. The incident was reported by Radiy Khabirov, the Head of Bashkortostan, via his official Telegram channel.

Governor Khabirov stated, “Today, the Bashneft company was subjected to a terrorist attack by aviation-type drones. One drone was shot down over the production site, which led to a fire. The fire is currently being brought under control. The facility suffered limited damage, and there are no reports of casualties.”

He further mentioned that a second drone was also shot down. However, the governor’s official statement did not attribute the attack to Ukraine.

Unverified video footage shared on local Telegram channels showed an object crashing onto the refinery, followed by a large explosion and a rising fireball.

The attack took place in Ufa, the capital city of Bashkortostan, where the oil refinery is located. Ufa is approximately 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) away from the Ukrainian border, highlighting the significant range from the conflict zone.

This incident reflects the ongoing targeted drone attacks on critical infrastructure within Russia, intensifying the security concerns amid the regional conflict.

—————

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar