At least 13 killed in Ukrainian drone strike deep into Russia

At least 13 people have been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian republic of Tatarstan, local officials have said.

They confirmed one child was among those killed, with 75 more people injured as drones hit Nizhnekamsk, more than 1,100 kilometres (680m) from the Ukrainian border. Ukraine’s Armed Forces said the city’s Tanevo oil refinery had been hit.

It is one of the deadliest single attacks on Russia since the start of Moscow’s full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022.

Kyiv has recently stepped up its long-range strikes on facilities it says contribute revenue and logistics to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The strike on Nizhnekamsk lasted several hours overnight and into the morning, according to local sources.

Verified images on social media show large plumes of smoke and flames rising into the sky in daytime, with air raid sirens howling in the background.

The Uzkbek consulate in Tatarstan said seven of those killed were citizens of Uzbekistan.

According to Russian news agency RIA, most of the victims had been staying in a hostel at the time of the attack, and Russia’s Investigative Committee said that “civilian individuals who were not involved in any military operations were present” where the drones struck.

The BBC has not independently verified this information. Moscow said that “all those involved in the attacks” would “face inevitable and severe punishment”.

Oil refineries in Nizhnekamsk had already been hit once – on 12 June.

“The facilities Ukraine targets are used to carry out attacks against Ukraine, manufacture weapons, support Russia’s war effort,” said Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation.

The head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, confirmed the strike and shared his condolences with the families of the deceased, while Nizhnekamsk Mayor Radmir Belayev said the deaths had been a “a tremendous pain for all of us”.

Ukraine’s Kovalenko said “every civilian death in Russia is on [President Vladimir] Putin” and that “Russians should direct their grievances at Putin and at the decisions made within their own country”.

“Without Putin, there would have been no aggression. Without the aggression, these people would still be alive,” he added.

More than 450 Ukrainian drones were shot down by the Russian air defences overnight across Russia, Moscow said.

Elsewhere in Russia, fires broke out when an industrial facility in Siberia’s Tyumen region was hit by several falling drones, according to local authorities.

Kyiv has become increasingly successful at carrying out long-range strikes on Russia, often targeting warehouses or energy infrastructure, with civilian casualties mounting.

Moscow, meanwhile, continues to target Ukraine with regular large-scale aerial attacks on cities and residential centres. Last week, a combined drone and missile strike on Kyiv killed 21 people.

Read More

  • Related Posts

    Several killed in attacks on Ukraine as Kyiv hits Russian e-commerce giant

    Ukraine continues to strike warehouses and logistics hubs run by Wildberries, which it says aids Moscow’s war efforts. Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine have killed at least six people, local…

    Girl killed on millionaire George Pino’s boat is seen dancing carefree just moments before fatal crash as he hangs his head in court

    A teenage girl who died in a fatal boat crash was spotted dancing in a bikini with her friends just moments before she was killed, a jury was told. Lucy…

    You Missed

    Young woman, 25, dies weeks before second wedding anniversary

    • By poster
    • August 16, 2026
    • 4 views
    Young woman, 25, dies weeks before second wedding anniversary

    Outraged woman says she left her car at a Kia dealership for new tire… only for mechanic to strip it of parts to fix another vehicle

    • By poster
    • August 16, 2026
    • 4 views
    Outraged woman says she left her car at a Kia dealership for new tire… only for mechanic to strip it of parts to fix another vehicle

    Trump rages at ‘national disgrace’ after judges slap down beloved ballroom remodel, setting up a Supreme Court showdown

    • By poster
    • August 16, 2026
    • 6 views
    Trump rages at ‘national disgrace’ after judges slap down beloved ballroom remodel, setting up a Supreme Court showdown

    Vulnerable man with Down syndrome, 33, spent SIX DAYS trapped in DC metro station because worker was too busy using their phone to help him, lawsuit alleges

    • By poster
    • August 16, 2026
    • 5 views
    Vulnerable man with Down syndrome, 33, spent SIX DAYS trapped in DC metro station because worker was too busy using their phone to help him, lawsuit alleges

    Terrifying video shows women chased through the streets by man released from prison NINE times in allegedly unprovoked attacks

    • By poster
    • August 16, 2026
    • 5 views
    Terrifying video shows women chased through the streets by man released from prison NINE times in allegedly unprovoked attacks

    Moment ‘passengers run across tarmac in desperate bid to catch flight’ before they are escorted away

    Moment ‘passengers run across tarmac in desperate bid to catch flight’ before they are escorted away