Ukraine strikes Russian steel plant using drones.

Post by: Dr. Amrinder Pal Singh

Photo: Reuters

On the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian drones executed a targeted strike on a major Russian steel factory overnight, resulting in a significant fire, as reported by a source in Kyiv. The affected plant, identified by the governor of Russia's Lipetsk region, is situated in Lipetsk city, approximately 400 km north of the Ukrainian border, and contributes to about 18% of Russia's steel production. Although a fire caused by a drone strike was reportedly extinguished at the facility operated by the Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk (NLMK), there were no reported casualties.

The Ukrainian source, indicating a joint operation by the GUR military intelligence and the SBU security service, highlighted that the attack led to a major fire, prompting the evacuation of personnel. Emphasizing the strategic significance of the targeted plant, the source mentioned that the raw materials from this facility are integral to the production of Russian missiles, artillery, and drones, justifying the attack as a legitimate goal for Ukraine. However, the specific location of the plant was not disclosed.

A video circulated on social media purportedly from Lipetsk showed an explosion, with orange flames illuminating the nighttime sky. NLMK acknowledged the fire on social media, stating that it broke out at 1:40 a.m. (2240 GMT on Friday), but the company did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

The Lipetsk plant specializes in flat steel and is a significant contributor, constituting 80% of NLMK's steel products. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian military and industrial targets have become more frequent, with previous strikes targeting oil facilities that Kyiv claims are crucial to the Russian war effort. Interestingly, Ukrainian sources had not claimed responsibility for an attack on a steel plant until this incident.

Russian authorities reported the downing of Ukrainian drones over the Lipetsk, Kursk, and Tula regions overnight, marking an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

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