Ukraine hits Russian chemical plant again, in heavy overnight drone attack

Ukraine struck a chemical plant in ​Russia's Tula region for the second time in two ‌weeks as part of a massive wave of overnight drone attacks, according to Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels.

Regional governor Dmitry Milyayev said ​an industrial facility in Novomoskovsk, 200 km (125 miles) south ​of Moscow, had been damaged.

Multiple news reports named it ⁠as the Azot plant, which has been described by ​Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as critical to Russia's production of ​explosives.

Azot, which describes itself as Russia's largest producer of ammonia and nitrogen fertilisers, was previously hit on June 14, according to Zelenskiy.

Ukraine has intensified ​drone strikes deep inside Russia this year as part of ​a strategy to inflict economic pain and undermine Moscow's ability to sustain the ‌war. ⁠

Its targets have included oil refineries, terminals and ports as well as industrial facilities.

In some cases it has launched repeat attacks on the same site within a space of a ​few days ​or weeks, disrupting ⁠efforts to repair damage and restart operations.

Milyayev, the governor, said electricity lines in the Tula ​region were also damaged and one woman ​was injured.

State ⁠news agency TASS said the quantity of drones fired by Ukraine was the highest this year. The Russian Defence Ministry ⁠said 660 ​were destroyed over 12 Russian regions ​and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.