Drone Attack Damages Russian Oil Pipeline Building – Governor

REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A drone is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 4, 2023.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – An attack by two drones caused an explosion in Russia’s Pskov region near the border with Belarus that left an oil pipeline’s administrative building damaged, local Governor Mikhail Vedernikov said on Telegram on Saturday.

Vedernikov did not point the finger at Ukraine, but Moscow has previously blamed Kyiv for similar incidents, some of which have caused damage to people and property hundreds of kilometers from its border with Ukraine.

Ukraine has not publicly acknowledged launching attacks against targets inside Russia, but senior officials in Kyiv have on occasion appeared to welcome the news of successful drone attacks on Russian soil.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on Saturday.

“Provisionally, the building was damaged as a result of an attack by two unmanned aerial vehicles,” Vedernikov said.

He said there were no casualties and that an operational group that would deliver final conclusions was working at the scene.

The incident occurred near the village of Litvinovo, less than 10km (6.2 miles) from Russia’s border with Belarus.