A soldier from a Ukrainian unmanned systems unit assembles a "Salut" interceptor drone before takeoff in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Getty Images)
A soldier from a Ukrainian unmanned systems unit assembles a "Salut" interceptor drone before takeoff in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Getty Images)

Ukrainian drones struck a facility in what is known as Russia's "gas capital," located nearly 3,000 kilometers from the Ukraine-Russia border.

Bloomberg and Reuters reported the strikes, citing a Telegram statement from Ukraine's Special Operations Forces.

The unit said Wednesday (local time) it had struck gas processing facilities in the Purovsky district and in Novy Urengoy, both in Russia's Arctic Yamalo-Nenets region, according to Yonhap.

Novy Urengoy is regarded as Russia's unofficial "gas capital." Russian energy company Gazprom estimated the region's gas reserves at 26.5 trillion cubic meters as of 2020 — enough to meet global demand for more than six years.

Ukraine is also believed to have carried out its deepest strike yet inside Russian territory, with the drones reportedly flying more than 3,000 kilometers to reach their target.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the impact the strike would have on the Russian economy. "It is important to respond to Russia in a completely fair manner, and in a way that the enemy can feel," he said. He was referring to Russia as "the enemy."

A fire broke out at the industrial facility, but there were no reported casualties.

Ukraine has been expanding its attacks on Russian energy facilities in an effort to undermine Moscow's ability to finance and sustain the war.

Russia steps up attacks with jet-propelled drones

Meanwhile, Russia has also been increasing its attacks on Ukraine using next-generation jet-propelled drones such as the Geran.

According to Ukrainska Pravda on Wednesday, Ukraine's Air Force said the number of jet-propelled drones launched by Russia has surged. The count climbed from 350 in June to 1,500 in July and 2,800 in August, Yonhap reported.

Ukrainian military officials said their interception rate for jet-propelled drones stands at around 60 percent, far below the roughly 90 percent rate for conventional drones.

It was also a jet-propelled drone that breached Ukraine's air defenses and struck the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kyiv on Friday. Jet-propelled drones were also used extensively in a massive Russian attack on Kyiv that followed a series of meetings between US presidential envoys in Moscow and Kyiv.

Russia and Ukraine resumed their exchange of attacks after the string of meetings by envoys for US President Donald Trump concluded last weekend.


yul@heraldcorp.com