Ukraine Strikes Russian Chemical Plant Again in Largest Drone Attack This Year
Ukraine struck a chemical plant in Russia's Tula region for the second time in two weeks as part of a massive wave of overnight drone attacks, according to Russian and Ukrainian sources.
Regional governor Dmitry Milyayev said an industrial facility in Novomoskovsk, about 200 km south of Moscow, had been damaged. Multiple reports identified it as the Azot plant, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has described as critical to Russia's production of explosives.
Azot, which describes itself as Russia's largest producer of ammonia and nitrogen fertilisers, was previously hit on June 14, according to Zelenskiy.
Ukraine has intensified drone strikes deep inside Russia this year as part of a strategy to inflict economic pain and undermine Moscow's ability to sustain the war. Its targets have included oil refineries, terminals, ports, and industrial facilities. In some cases, it has launched repeat attacks on the same site within days or weeks, disrupting repairs and restarting operations.
Milyayev said electricity lines in the Tula region were also damaged, and one woman was injured.
State news agency TASS reported that the number of drones fired by Ukraine was the highest this year. The Russian Defence Ministry said 660 drones were destroyed over 12 Russian regions and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
