Russian Air Attacks Kill Five at Ukraines Naftogaz Gas Facilities

Three workers and two emergency service rescuers were killed in a missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s state-run gas facilities in the Poltava and Kharkiv regions, according to Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretskyi. The attack occurred overnight, resulting in 37 people being wounded.

Koretskyi stated that the attack involved both unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ballistic missiles, causing significant damage and production losses at the facilities. The assault also cut gas supply to nearly 3,500 customers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a two-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine on May 8 and 9, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a pause in fighting starting on May 5. However, Russian authorities launched missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s territory despite the announced ceasefires.

According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 11 ballistic missiles and 164 drones at the country since 6pm (15:00 GMT) on Monday. One missile and 149 drones were shot down or neutralised, while eight missiles and 14 drones struck 14 locations.

Ukraine also attacked one of Russia’s biggest oil refineries on Tuesday, sparking a fire in an industrial area of the Russian town of Kirishi in the Leningrad region. The attack resulted in no casualties, but caused significant damage to the refinery.

The Kirishinefteorgsintez oil refinery, which processes 17.5 million metric tonnes of oil per year, was targeted by Ukrainian forces. Industry sources reported that the refinery produced 2 million tonnes of petrol and 7.1 million tonnes of diesel in 2024.

Russian air defence forces destroyed 289 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions overnight, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Source: Al Jazeera