By Jekaterina Golubkova
May 20 (Reuters) – Two people were killed and 19 injured in Russia attacks on Ukraine overnight, local officials said on Wednesday, while Ukraine sent drones to strike industrial areas in central Russia.
In Ukraine, two people were dead and six injured after Russia hit the southeastern city of Dnipro with missiles, drones and artillery, local authorities said on Telegram. Another 13 injuries were reported in the northern Sumy region and the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, including three children, authorities added.
Reuters could not independently verify the reports. Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians.
DRONES TARGET INDUSTRIAL AREAS IN RUSSIA
Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure, doubling the number of oil refineries targeted since the start of the year, according to information posted on social media by Russian officials, as it aims to deprive Moscow from energy revenues to end more than four-year-long war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with key members of his government and business leaders, is visiting China, Russia’s key energy buyer, on Wednesday.
Russia’s Defence Ministry downed 273 drones over the country overnight, TASS state news agency said, citing the ministry.
In Russia, drones attacked industrial areas around Nevinnomyssk in the southern Stavropol region, its governor said on Telegram, adding there was no damage reported so far but the attacks were continuing.
The area is home to Nevinnomyssky Azot, a large chemical plant, which has been a target of drone attacks from Ukraine before.
Around Kstovo, in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region where an oil refinery belonging to Lukoil is located, was also under drone attack, Nizhny Novgorod’s mayor said on Telegram.
Two drones were downed over Russia’s northwestern region of Leningrad, home to one of the country’s biggest refineries and an oil export port, with drone attacks also over Moscow, the Tula region south of the capital, local authorities said on Telegram. The Belgorod border region was also attacked, with an ambulance driver injured, authorities said.
(Reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova in Tokyo; Editing by Chris Reese, Tom Hogue and Lincoln Feast.)
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