Drone attack ignites blaze at energy plant in Russia's Volgograd, governor says
Details and Impact of the Drone Attack in Volgograd
Initial Incident and Immediate Consequences
July 31 (Reuters) - A drone attack set ablaze an energy facility and warehouses in Russia's Volgograd region on Friday, injuring five, the regional governor, Andrei Bocharov, said, but stopped short of giving details of the facilities.
Energy Facilities Affected
The region is home to a Lukoil-owned oil refinery. Five people are seeking medical help after the attacks, Bocharov added on Telegram.
Impact on Retail and Logistics
Top online retailer Wildberries said in a Telegram statement that one of its logistic hubs in the city of Volgograd caught fire following the attack, but there were no injuries.
Related Attacks in Neighboring Regions
Incident in Rostov Region
In the neighbouring southern region of Rostov, a woman was injured after a drone attack in the town of Gukovo, regional governor Yuri Slyusar said on the messaging app.
Broader Context and Ongoing Conflict
Ukraine's Strategy and Recent Attacks
Ukraine has recently stepped up attacks on Wildberries facilities, as it keeps up strikes on energy facilities that have triggered a supply crisis across most of Russia.
Financial Support for Affected Sellers
Wildberries, with a few of its other warehouses hit as recently as Thursday, earlier said it had paid a second tranche of financial support to nearly 100,000 sellers whose goods were damaged.
Ukraine's Justification for Strikes
Ukraine, with its own cities under constant Russian attack, says its strikes deep inside the neighbour are "long-range sanctions" designed to sap Moscow's war-fighting capacity and force it to end the 4-1/2-year conflict.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova in Tokyo; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Clarence Fernandez)