Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on a major Russian steel factory NLMK on the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The attack caused a fire at the Lipetsk plant, located about 400 km north of the Ukrainian border and responsible for about 18% of Russia's steel production.
Both sides provided conflicting reports of the incident. Russian officials say the fire was minor and there were no victims. They claim that the plant's operations will not be affected in any way.
Ukrainian sources claim the attack caused significant damage and forced the evacuation of personnel.They justify the attacks by saying that the factory supplies materials for Russian arms. The Lipetsk plant specialises in flat steel, making 80% of NLMK's steel products
The incident marks an escalation in Ukrainian drone attacks, previously targeting mainly oil facilities, that Kyiv says are vital to the Russian war effort.
NLMK has previously stated that its Russian enterprises do not produce steel used in military equipment. They only produce rolled steel for civilian purposes.
Russian authorities claim to have successfully captured Ukrainian drones in three regions (Lipetsk, Kursk and Tula) during the night.
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