Russia reports drone attacks over 1,000 km from Ukraine

Two industrial sites in the central Russian region of Tatarstan, around 1,100 kilometres (690 miles) from the Russian-Ukrainian border, were hit in a drone attack on Tuesday morning, Russian officials said.

A defense source in Kyiv told AFP that Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency was behind the strikes, which it said hit facilities assembling Iranian-designed Shahed explosive drones.

They did not say where the attack was launched from. If launched from Ukrainian-held territory, it would be one of the most far-reaching drone strikes carried out by Kyiv's forces since the start of the fighting in February 2022.

"Enterprises in Yelabuga and Nizhnekamsk were attacked by unmanned aerial vehicles," Tatarstan's leader Rustam Minnikhanov said in a Telegram post.

At least six people were injured in the attack on a site in Yelabuga, the state-run TASS news agency reported, citing local emergency services.

Videos on social media showed an aircraft-style drone flying into a two-storey building at a business park outside the city before exploding, sending a fireball into the air.

Minnikhanov said there was no serious damage and production was continuing.

The mayor of Nizhnekamsk said air defenses had thwarted an attempted attack on an oil refinery in his district, TASS reported. He said there was no damage or injuries.

The RIA Novosti agency said a drone hit the site of the Taneco oil refinery, owned by Russian oil major Tatneft, in the city.

Citing emergency services, it said a resulting fire was put out within 20 minutes and production was not halted.

Ukraine has claimed responsibility for several drone strikes on oil refineries deep in Russian territory.

It says they are a legitimate retaliation to Moscow's targeting of its energy facilities, and aim to cripple Russia's fuel sector, vital for both its military and export earnings.