The images from today’s Ukrainian drone attack against Ryazan have shocked many Russians. Apparently undisturbed, Ukrainian attack drones fly over the rooftops, before crashing into the large oil refinery. It is located on the outskirts of the big city with half a million inhabitants, 200 kilometers southeast of Moscow. UKRAINIAN DRONE. One of the Ukrainian drones that attacked the Russian oil refinery in Ryazan on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters – Shoot, shoot the hell out, a person shouts in one of the videos from the attack. But little happens, before we hear volleys of small arms fire that seem to have little effect on the drones. They swing around, and with great precision they hit installations at the refinery. Many drone attacks have been reported and many videos have been shared on Telegram from the oil refinery in Ryazan (Russia). Attacks for the second day in a row Ukraine has also previously carried out drone attacks far into Russia. VIOLENT FIRES. Several fires broke out at the oil refinery in Ryazan after the Ukrainian attack on 13 March. Photo: Reuters But not on the same scale and with the same efficiency as the last two days. On Tuesday, an oil facility in Kstovo in Nizhny Novgorod, northeast of Moscow, was attacked. So far away from Ukraine itself, this type of attack has not been carried out before. On Wednesday afternoon, the news agency writes that Rosneft, which operates the refinery, has closed two of the production units as a result of the Ukrainian attack. Targeted attacks – They attack energy facilities, which are important for Russia for two reasons, says researcher: Jakub M. Godzimirski at the Norwegian Foreign Policy Institute NUPI. – The military needs them to continue the war, and they are a very important source of income for the state, says Godzimirski to news. THE TARGET. Researcher Jakub M Godzimirski believes that there is a clear plan behind the recent Ukrainian attacks into Russia. Photo: Nupi – Ukraine has intensified the use of drones because they have limited resources. There is little ammunition available, while they produce many drones. So the drones partly replace ammunition. – In addition to the fact that they have a longer range than other weapons, says Godzimirski. MAJOR DAMAGE. There is said to have been significant damage to the oil refinery in Ryazan after the Ukrainian attack. Photo: Reuters FSB building hit Ukraine has also attacked the Belgorod region in southern Russia for the second day in a row. It is reported in Russia on Wednesday morning. According to the news agency Tass, one drone has hit a building of the Russian security service FSB, where there should be minor damage in the form of broken windows after the attack. FSB ATTACKED. This image, distributed by the independent Russian Telegram channel Astra, is said to show smoke after the attack on the FSB building in Belgorod. Photo: The Telegram channel Astra Belgorod has been attacked regularly in recent months. In February at the latest, five people are said to have been killed in Ukrainian attacks. – Attacking an FSB building must be understood as an attack aimed at an important Russian power organization that is directly involved in the war. – They are responsible for operations aimed at opponents of the Putin regime, but also the Ukrainian population in areas occupied by Russia. FSB infrastructure is therefore a justified target, says Jakub M. Godzimirski The Belgorod region was also attacked earlier this week by Russian volunteers who fought on the Ukrainian side. It is no coincidence that the attacks are coming now. According to the Russian defense, the largest attack last night and this morning was aimed at military targets in the Voronezh region. On Sunday, there are presidential elections in Russia, where it is expected that incumbent President Vladimir Putin will be re-elected with an overwhelming majority. It was Putin who on 24 February 2022 launched a full-scale military operation, where the objective was in reality to occupy Ukraine and install a pro-Russian regime. Now two years later, this goal is very far away, even though Russia has occupied between 15 and 20 percent of Ukrainian territory. – I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the attacks come right before the election, says researcher Jakub M. Godzimirski at NUPI It is a way of sending a message to the Russian population that the war is not going to end anytime soon. – It is a way of influencing people in Russia, although one should not have any expectations that it will influence the election itself. Weak Russian Air Defense? During the night, 65 drones were detected and destroyed by air defense systems in the region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. But they write at the same time that over Rjazan only one drone was shot down. Videos now circulating on social media show that at least four Ukrainian drones have attacked the oil refinery in the city. They indicate that the Russian air force has only managed to stop a small part of the Ukrainian attack on this city, which is several hundred kilometers from the border with Ukraine. The Russian military blogger Fighterbomber, who is known to be a warm supporter of the Russian “special operation” against Ukraine, confirms that the night and morning Ukrainian drone attacks have been somewhat successful. According to the blogger, who is a former fighter pilot, what is happening now shows clear weaknesses in the Russian air force. He believes that a logical consequence must be that Russia must expand the military operation against Ukraine so that it becomes impossible for the Ukrainians to send this type of drone into Russia. Russia also attacks In the last 24 hours, Russia has also carried out extensive attacks against Ukraine. On Tuesday evening, a block of flats in the city of Kryvyi Rih was hit and four people were killed, dozens, among them many children, were injured. KRYVYJ RIH. This apartment block of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s home was badly damaged in the Russian attack. Photo: Reuters Kryvyi Rih is President Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s hometown. Zelenskyj writes on Telegram that the attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine show that everyone who is with Ukraine in these times is a custodian of life and justice. The city of Myrnohradi Donetsk county, was again attacked. Two people have been killed and five injured, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. POWERFUL BOMB. According to the Ukrainian authorities, it must have been a powerful bomb that hit a block of flats in the town of Myrnohrad in Donetsk. Photo: Reuters The Sumy region in the north has also been attacked and an apartment block hit, three people have probably died, but this has not been confirmed, according to the authorities in the area.
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Ukraine attacks deep inside Russia four days before the presidential election
