The strikes hit oil refineries, causing fires that burned into Friday morning as local officials warned that blackouts would continue throughout the day.
Ukraine launched its largest-ever kamikaze drone attack on Russia while Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China, killing two people and causing an oil refinery fire in the Black Sea, according to officials.
„Fifty-one UAVs were destroyed and intercepted over Crimea, 44 over the Krasnodar region, six over the Belgorod region and one over Kursk region,“ Russia’s military said in a press release according to Voice of America.
The wave of drones attacked several targets around the Belgorod region and along the coast of the Black Sea. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said a mother and child were killed while traveling in a car, and authorities managed to extinguish the fire at the Tuapse refinery.
„The child was in critical condition. Doctors did everything possible to save him,“ Gladkov said.
Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev announced that he „made a decision to cancel classes in all schools, institutions of secondary vocational education and kindergartens“ and warned that periodic blackouts would continue as the region struggled with the damage caused by Ukraine’s attack.
