Ukraine kills 12 in drone strikes on Russian city of Nizhnekamsk, mayor says

MOSCOW: At least 12 people were killed and 39 injured ​in a Ukrainian drone attack on industrial ‌and civilian targets in the city of Nizhnekamsk in Russia’s Tatarstan region - the site of a major ​oil refinery - Radmir Belyayev, the city’s mayor, said ​on Monday.

The region’s oil refinery, one of ⁠Russia’s most technologically advanced, was hit in ​the attack, according to various Russian media. In unverified ​videos on social media, smoke can be seen rising over what appears to be an oil refinery.

Reuters ​was unable to independently verify the footage.

Tatneft’s ​TANECO refinery, which was hit by Ukraine in early June, ‌processed ⁠17 million tons of crude oil in 2024, producing 2.7 million tons of gasoline and 8.5 million tons of diesel fuel.

Tatarstan head Rustam ​Minnikhanov has ​declared a ⁠period of mourning after the Ukrainian attack, Belyayev, the mayor, said.

Ukraine has ​stepped up its strikes on Russian ​oil ⁠refineries in recent months in a campaign which has caused fuel shortages in many parts of ⁠Russia, ​though authorities say that most ​of those initial problems have since been resolved.