The exchange of attacks between Russia and Ukraine on September 14 and 15, 2023, involved targeting a gas station and an oil refinery in Kyiv. These attacks occurred just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump's statements regarding an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv not to target each other's energy facilities.
Details of the Attacks in Kyiv
Ukrainian officials reported that on September 15, a gas station and several storage facilities in Kyiv were attacked. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, announced that one citizen was hospitalized in critical condition due to these attacks. In recent months, Ukrainian officials have reported that around 300 gas stations in frontline areas of Ukraine have been targeted, indicating an increase in Russian attacks on Ukraine's fuel facilities.
Read more: Kyiv Announces Agreement to Halt Attacks on Energy Infrastructure
Attacks in Russia and Reactions
On the other hand, a missile attack on the city of Taganrog in Russia, which is near the Ukrainian border, caused damage to warehouses belonging to the online retailer Ozon as well as agricultural companies. Yuri Sleusar, the governor of the region, announced on September 15 that this attack caused damage to industrial infrastructure. Additionally, the Samara region was also attacked by drones last night, damaging an industrial facility.
The governor of the Samara region, Vyacheslav Fedorichev, added that 40 drones were destroyed in this attack, although he did not specify the exact facilities that were damaged. Reports received from Telegram channels indicate that after the drone attack, a fire was observed in the industrial area of the Sizzran oil refinery in the Samara region.
These attacks come as Trump announced on September 14 in a post on his social media that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to attack each other's energy facilities. In response to these statements, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, stated that Kyiv is ready to stop attacks on Russia, provided that Ukraine's supporters guarantee that Moscow will also cease attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities and critical infrastructure.
Drone Attack in Lithuania
Meanwhile, in Lithuania, a NATO fighter jet shot down a drone that had entered the country's airspace on September 15. The National Crisis Management Center of Lithuania announced that a drone alert had been issued in the capital Vilnius and surrounding areas. Gitanas Nausėda, the President of Lithuania, stated after the incident that Lithuania, along with its NATO allies, will defend its airspace. According to initial information, the drone had entered from Belarus and was heading west.
These events occur as tensions between Russia and Ukraine have sharply escalated, with Ukraine warning of the dangers posed by Russian attacks on NATO borders. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated on September 13 that Russian attacks on the borders of Ukraine and Poland are merely a continuation of attacks on this country's borders and are considered a form of direct terrorism against the European Union and NATO.
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