Overnight on 26 June, Russian regions came under yet another massive drone attack; in particular, Telegram channels are reporting a fire at the ‘Azov’ chemical plant in Novomoskovsk, Tula Oblast, Russia.
Dmitry Milyaev, Governor of the Tula Region, did not explicitly confirm this, but noted that the strike had resulted in “damage to power lines and an industrial facility in Novomoskovsk”. According to him, Russian air defence units allegedly shot down 157 Ukrainian drones overnight.
The Russian Telegram channel Astra, having analysed eyewitness footage, established that smoke was rising from the direction of the ‘Azot’ chemical plant, which Ukrainian forces had already attacked previously: on the night of 14 June, as well as last year.
On the night of 26 June, residents of Novomoskovsk in the Tula Region of the Russian Federation reported a large number of explosions.
Among other things, ‘Azot’ produces ammonium nitrate, which is used to make explosives; methanol, a component of rocket fuel; and argon gas, used in metallurgy.
Astra also noted that, following the attack in the Tula Region of the Russian Federation, NASA’s fire monitoring system detected a fire at the Novomoskovskaya GRES, which is a subsidiary of the Novomoskovsk Joint-Stock Company ‘Azot’ and supplies 60 per cent of the city’s residential sector and social facilities with heat and hot water.
Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of the Russian capital, reported that at least 47 drones were flying towards Moscow on the night of 26 June. According to him, these drones were shot down, and “emergency services specialists are working at the crash site”.
Explosions during the night have also been reported in Russian-occupied Crimea. The Telegram channel ‘Crimean Wind’, citing its readers, states that the sounds of explosions and gunfire were heard in Kerch, Krasnoperekopsk and at the ‘Saki’ airfield in Novofedorivka. The authorities appointed by the Russian Federation have not yet reported any attack or strike.