New Delhi: At least 13 people have been killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Tatarstan region. This was one of the deadliest attacks launched by Kyiv in the war, which has been ongoing for over four years. The regional press service stated on Monday that 13 people were killed and 39 injured in the drone attack on the city of Nizhnekamsk.
Located more than 1,000 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, this region is rich in energy resources and houses several major oil refineries that Kyiv has been targeting in retaliatory strikes.
Unverified footage on social media showed a large plume of black smoke rising from an oil facility near Nizhnekamsk. According to the United Nations, both sides have significantly ramped up long-range attacks this year, leading to an increase in civilian casualties.
Near the front line in Ukraine, local officials reported that five people were killed in a Russian artillery strike on a village in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
In a statement released on Telegram, officials said that on August 10, Russian forces used heavy artillery to attack a residential area in Bugaivka village, Chuhuiv district. Several houses were destroyed and five people were killed in the enemy attack. They also posted a photograph of a house reduced to rubble by the strike.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence stated that it had shot down 456 Ukrainian drones launched overnight. The ministry did not disclose how many drones reached their targets.
Amid the ongoing fierce conflict between Ukraine and Russia, another piece of alarming news has emerged. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed that approximately 30,000 to 50,000 North Korean troops could be deployed on Russian soil to assist Russia. This figure is significantly higher than the estimate of 30,000 troops made in July.
According to Zelenskyy, Pyongyang is continuously sending its troops to gain experience in modern warfare and to acquire military technology from Russia. To counter this serious threat, Ukraine has now made an impassioned appeal to South Korea for assistance with air defence systems to help thwart aerial attacks.
(With AFP inputs)
