On November 6, Russia said that Ukrainian forces used at least 75 UAVs to attack the country's territory, causing fires in the industrial park in Volgograd city and causing many airports to temporarily suspend operations.
According to the announcement, 49 UAVs were shot down in the Volgograd region. In the area where the attack occurred, Governor Andrei Bocharov said a 48-year-old man died from hit by debris. The fire broke out in Krasnoarmeysk district, which was formerly named Stalingrad and was the location of a large refinery of Lukoil Group.
The Volgograd refinery in Lukoil has repeatedly become a target for Ukrainian UAVs. The plant will process 13.7 million tonnes of oil in 2024, equivalent to 5.1% of Russia's total refined oil production.
Ukraine has focused on attacking oil refineries, warehouses and pipelines in recent months to put pressure on the Russian economy as Russian forces continue to advance in eastern Ukraine.
Russian media reported that 13 airports nationwide had to temporarily suspend operations during the UAV attack. The attack delayed many flights and caused disruption to aviation in many areas.
In other developments, the Russian Defense Ministry said Russian forces are moving deeper into the northern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk to take control of the entire region.
Russia claims its military currently controls more than 19% of Ukraine, equivalent to about 116,000 square kilometers. Some maps in support of Ukraine show that Russia has taken control of more than 3,400 square kilometres of territory this year alone, compared to late 2023, when the control rate was recorded at 18%.
