Ukraine drone strikes spark fires, disrupt Russian air travel
Shafaq News/ A wave of Ukrainian drone attacks overnight targeted fuel and energy facilities in Russia, sparking fires at an oil refinery in Volgograd and leading to temporary flight suspensions at multiple airports, Russian officials reported Monday.
In Volgograd, Governor Andrei Bocharov said in a statement issued by the administration of the southern Russian region on Telegram that Russian air defense forces had “repelled a massive attack” by Ukrainian drones, confirming that falling debris caused fires at an oil refinery, though they were later contained. While he did not specify the facility, the Russian Telegram channel Baza, linked to security services, reported explosions near a Lukoil refinery, Russia’s second-largest oil producer.
A separate drone strike in Astrakhan also caused a fire, according to Governor Igor Babushkin, though he did not disclose further details. Reports from Baza suggested that a gas processing plant in the region was among the targets.
Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, temporarily suspended flights at six airports—Astrakhan, Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Saratov, and Ulyanovsk—as a precautionary measure. Flight operations resumed at most affected airports later in the day.
Yesterday, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that air defense units intercepted and destroyed 70 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 25 over Volgograd, 27 over Rostov, and seven over Astrakhan.
Notably, US President Donald Trump has pledged to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 100 days of taking office. Retired US General Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, expressed optimism about securing a peace deal within this timeframe, telling Fox News on January 8, “Let’s set it at 100 days.”
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, stated that his administration has already held “very serious” discussions with Russia about resolving the conflict. While he did not disclose specific details, he hinted at ongoing talks and a potential agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We will be speaking, and I think we will perhaps do something significant,” Trump said. However, he remained vague about whether he had personally spoken with Putin, refusing to confirm or deny direct communication.
