Russian regions are on high alert after a series of drone attacks targeting oil refineries and industrial facilities, leading to dramatic explosions and significant fires.
The incidents occurred in Voronezh, Smolensk, and Lipetsk, sparking widespread concern.
A video circulating on social media shows a massive fireball erupting from an oil refinery in Voronezh, Russia, after a drone attack.
The footage captures the moment of impact, with flames shooting high into the night sky and illuminating the surrounding area. Thick plumes of black smoke billow from the site.
Local reports indicate that air defence forces shot down four drones in the region, but not before one caused significant damage at the refinery.
In Smolensk, drone attacks sparked fires at fuel and energy facilities in two districts, with local governor Aleksey Ostrovsky confirming the incidents.
An oil depot in the region was reportedly set ablaze, though the full extent of the damage remains unclear.
Authorities in Lipetsk, another Russian region, also faced drone attacks at the Lipetsk Tractor Plant, which produces chassis for military vehicles.
Although officials claimed the drones were shot down, locals reported multiple explosions in the industrial zone, suggesting possible damage to the plant. The exact impact on production and infrastructure is yet to be determined.
It comes as a big, new package of US military aid will help Ukraine avoid defeat in its war with Russia.
The arms and ammunition in the $61 billion military aid package should enable Ukraine to slow the Russian army's bloody advances and block its strikes on troops and civilians. And it will buy Ukraine time - for long-term planning about how to take back the fifth of the country now under Russian control.
"Ultimately it offers Ukraine the prospect of staying in the war this year," said Michael Clarke, visiting professor in war studies at King's College London. "Sometimes in warfare you've just got to stay in it. You've just got to avoid being rolled over."
