The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that 592 Ukrainian drones were shot down during an overnight attack that struck the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery and a passenger train in Samara. The blast forced the refinery to shut down its operations for the day, while the train driver sustained injuries and the line was temporarily closed. The Ministry said the drones were launched from the Donetsk region, though Ukrainian officials have not confirmed the launch sites.
In addition to the refinery and train, the strike caused casualties in several other regions. In Belgorod, a drone hit a truck, killing one person and wounding another. Governor Dmitry Makhonin of Perm reported a fatality during a large‑scale drone attack that also damaged industrial sites.
Governor Alexei Russkikh of Ulyanovsk said eight people were hurt when a drone struck an electronics plant and surrounding infrastructure. Meanwhile, Governor Alexander Gusev of Voronezh reported that air defenses destroyed 88 drones and that four people were injured, with residential and industrial buildings damaged.
The attacks prompted Moscow to reinforce its air‑defence posture across the southern and eastern frontiers. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that additional missile batteries would be deployed to counter future drone incursions. The move comes as Russia grapples with mounting Ukrainian drone activity along its borders.
Local residents are already feeling the strain. A 45‑year‑old factory worker in Rostov, who lost his job when the refinery halted, said the economic ripple effect is already being felt.