Ukrainian drone strike kills 12 in central Russian city

A Ukrainian drone strike killed at least 12 people and injured 39 others in the central Russian city of Nizhnekamsk on Monday, marking one of Kyiv's deadliest single attacks since the full-scale invasion began more than four years ago. The strike targeted industrial and civilian sites in the city, which is located in the Republic of Tatarstan, more than 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

The regional press service confirmed the casualty figures, stating that 12 people were killed and 39 wounded as a result of the drone attack on the city. Nizhnekamsk, with a population of about 240,000, is a major oil refining hub and home to Tatneft's TANECO refinery, one of Russia's most technologically advanced. Unverified footage on social media showed a large black smoke cloud billowing over an oil facility near the city. The Tatarstan regional head, Rustam Minnikhanov, declared a period of mourning following the attack.

The strike is part of a broader Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure. Ukraine has stepped up its long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries in recent months, a campaign that has caused fuel shortages in parts of Russia and unsettled...