Russia in flames as Ukraine drones wreak devastation and chaos in lethal strikes

A processing unit erupts into a ball of flames in Dagestan (Image: Social media)

Ukrainian drones have sown chaos and panic across Russia after a series of lethal strikes caused massive damage to energy infrastructure and military-industrial sites. The devastating attacks occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Dagestan and Mordovia.

Ukraine has stepped up its aerial bombardments of Russia in an attempt to disrupt supplies of fuel and ammunition to Putin's troops. Oil refineries and weapon-making plants have been remorselessly targeted in carefully crafted operations that have exposed huge weaknesses in Russian air defences. In the latest attack, drones zeroed in on the Makhachkala oil refinery in the Republic of Dagestan in Russia's Caucasus.

A massive explosion ripped through an ammunition plant (Image: Social media)

Video footage posted to social media channels by locals shows the dramatic the dramatic moment of impact. A drone can be seen hurtling towards the plant, before striking one of its buildings and causing a major fire to break out.

Ukraine's military confirmed the strike in a later post to its Telegram Channel, writing: "The Makhachkala oil refinery in the Republic of Dagestan was hit.

"A hit was recorded in one of the processing units on the territory of the enterprise."

The plant provides fuel for Russia's Caspian Sea naval fleet and can process up to one million tonnes.

A further attack was carried out on the Saransk Mechanical Plant in the Republic of Mordovia. The industrial site manufactures anti-personnel engineering ammunition and mine-laying kits, ammunition detonators, and initiation units.

Ukraine's army said: "Explosions were recorded on the territory of the enterprise."

It comes as a massive explosion ripped through an ammunition factory in Russia's Chelyabinsk region on Wednesday evening. The "Plastmass" facility in the town of Kopeysk, produces explosives and ammunition for the Russian army.

Four people are reported to have died and several others injured in the explosion, with local residents saying many more could still be buried in the rubble.

The region's governor Alexey Teksler claimed the explosion was not the result of a drone attack, although residents said that prior to the blast there had been an air raid siren.

The area around the plant has been cordoned off, as emergency services attend to the fire and search for more survivors.