The Russian-Ukrainian front witnesses a new day of escalation and combat on Wednesday, as the Russian army continues its attempts to gain more control over Ukrainian territories, while Kyiv seeks further logistical support from its allies. In the latest developments, local officials reported that a fire broke out at energy facilities in the Smolensk region of Russia following a Ukrainian drone attack. Authorities also conducted evacuations in parts of Lipetsk in the southwest after a drone fell in an industrial area there.
Vasily Anokhin, the governor of the Smolensk region, located in western Russia, stated via the messaging app "Telegram": "Our region is once again under attack from Ukrainian drones. As a result of the enemy's attack on civilian fuel and energy facilities, fires broke out in the Smolensk and Yartsevo areas." It remains unclear which facilities caught fire, as that region does not include major oil refineries.
In a separate matter, Igor Artemonov, the governor of the Lipetsk region in southwest Russia, reported that a drone crashed in an industrial area there. He mentioned on "Telegram" that there were no injuries, but authorities evacuated residents from the surrounding areas as a precaution. Artemonov noted, "This is an isolated incident, and there is no danger of an attack on residential areas. A decision was made not to activate the city’s warning systems and to evacuate only the area where the drone fell." However, he did not specify whether there was any damage or the intended target.
No comments have yet been issued from Ukraine. Kyiv rarely comments on attacks within Russia, but Ukrainian officials have stated that destroying vital energy, military, and transportation infrastructure in Russia undermines Moscow's overall war efforts.
