TAGANROG, Russia — Authorities evacuated residents from parts of the southern Russian port city of Taganrog on Friday after overnight drone attacks damaged an oil facility and sparked fires, regional officials said, as Ukraine's long-range campaign against Russian energy infrastructure continued.
Yury Slyusar, the governor of Russia's Rostov region, said emergency services were deployed after drones targeted industrial sites in and around Taganrog. Local authorities ordered evacuations in areas close to the affected facility as firefighters worked to contain the blaze and assess damage.
Russian officials said there were no immediate reports of fatalities linked to the evacuation. Authorities did not immediately provide a full assessment of damage to the oil infrastructure or estimate when evacuated residents could return.
The attack came after repeated drone strikes earlier in the week on shipping and energy assets in the Taganrog Bay area. Regional officials previously reported that tankers had been damaged in separate attacks, prompting crew evacuations while authorities said no oil spills had occurred because the vessels were not carrying cargo.
Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian oil refineries, fuel depots and logistics facilities in recent months, saying such operations are intended to weaken Moscow's ability to sustain its military campaign. Kyiv rarely comments on individual operations but has consistently described attacks on military-related infrastructure inside Russia as legitimate targets.
Russia's Defense Ministry said its air-defense forces intercepted multiple Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions. Reuters could not independently verify battlefield claims or the extent of damage reported by either side.
The latest strike followed a series of attacks that have disrupted refining operations elsewhere in Russia. Earlier this week, sources told Reuters that drone attacks forced the suspension of processing at major refineries in Saratov and Omsk, adding pressure to Russia's fuel supply network after repeated strikes on energy facilities this year.
Russia and Ukraine have stepped up reciprocal long-range drone attacks as the conflict enters its fifth year. Moscow has continued missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, while Kyiv has expanded operations targeting Russian military, industrial and energy facilities far from the front lines.
Emergency crews remained at the scene in Taganrog on Friday, and regional authorities said inspections of the affected area were continuing while investigators assessed the impact of the attack.
