Drone attack hits industrial hub in Russia’s Tatarstan, casualties reported
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A drone attack overnight on Sept. 13 sparked a fire at an industrial facility in Nizhnekamsk, a major oil refining and petrochemical hub in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, Russian authorities said.
Two people were killed and 12 injured, regional authorities said. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the figures.
Local residents reported hearing drones flying over the city followed by a series of explosions, according to Russian independent media and monitoring Telegram channels. Witnesses also reported Russian air defenses operating near the city's industrial zone.
Russian authorities did not immediately identify the facility that was hit or disclose the extent of the damage.
Russia’s aviation authority temporarily imposed flight restrictions at the airports in Nizhnekamsk, Kazan, and Bugulma overnight, citing flight safety concerns.
Nizhnekamsk is home to several major Russian oil refining and petrochemical facilities, including the TANECO and TAIF-NK refineries and the Nizhnekamskneftekhim petrochemical plant.
TANECO, part of Russian oil company Tatneft, processes more than 16 million metric tons of oil annually and produces gasoline, diesel, aviation kerosene, marine fuel, and other petroleum products. Tatarstan authorities said the refinery processed 16.2 million metric tons of oil in 2022.
Nearby TAIF-NK operates a refinery with capacity to process around 7.3 million metric tons of crude oil annually, as well as separate facilities for processing gas condensate. Its products include gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
The industrial zone also hosts Nizhnekamskneftekhim, part of Russian petrochemical giant SIBUR. The company describes the facility as one of Europe's largest petrochemical plants and one of the world's top 10 producers of synthetic rubber. It produces more than 120 products, including synthetic rubber and plastics.
