At least 13 people, including a child, have been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Tatarstan region.

A further 39 people were injured in the attack on Nizhnekamsk, one of the deadliest single strikes on Russian territory since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to local sources, the overnight attack continued for several hours into Monday morning.

Nizhnekamsk, located more than 1,100km (680 miles) from the Ukrainian border, is home to major oil-refining and petrochemical facilities, making it an important industrial centre.

Russian authorities said both industrial facilities and residential areas were targeted. The Investigative Committee said civilians who were not involved in military operations were among those affected.

The claims have not been independently verified, and Ukraine has yet to comment on the reported strike.

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Unverified videos and images shared on social media appeared to show thick plumes of smoke and large flames rising over the city, while air-raid sirens could be heard in the background.

Tatarstan’s head, Rustam Minnikhanov, confirmed the attack and expressed his condolences to the families of those killed.

Nizhnekamsk’s mayor, Radmir Belayev, described the incident as “a tremendous pain for all of us”.

A period of mourning has been declared across Tatarstan.

Russia’s defence authorities said more than 450 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted or destroyed overnight. The figure has not been independently verified.

Ukraine has increasingly carried out long-range drone attacks against targets deep inside Russia, frequently striking energy infrastructure, military facilities and sites it says support Moscow’s war effort.

Kyiv has argued that such facilities contribute to Russia’s ability to finance and sustain its invasion of Ukraine.

The latest attack comes as Russia continues to launch large-scale aerial strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Last week, a combined Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv killed 21 people, while five others were killed in a Russian artillery strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

The war has increasingly seen both sides conduct attacks far beyond the immediate front lines, with civilian casualties continuing to rise.

(BBC News)