MOSCOW: Russia said on Friday its air defence systems destroyed 376 Ukrainian drones in overnight attacks across the country, with drone debris triggering fires at several oil facilities in the south as Kyiv intensified efforts to target Moscow’s energy infrastructure.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said air defence units intercepted unmanned aerial vehicles in multiple regions, including around the capital, Moscow. The ministry said the drones were shot down during a large-scale overnight assault.
Oil Facilities Hit
Regional authorities said drone debris caused a fire at an oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai, while separate blazes broke out at two fuel storage facilities in the Azov district.
Officials in Krasnodar Krai said fragments of drones fell across the Severskaya district, home to the Ilsky oil refinery, including in the courtyard of a residential property.
In the Azov district, emergency services were deployed to tackle fires at the affected fuel depots.
Authorities said no casualties had been reported.
Energy Infrastructure Under Pressure
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in recent months in an effort to disrupt Moscow’s financial and logistical capacity to sustain its war effort.
The strikes follow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s acknowledgement last month that repeated Ukrainian attacks had contributed to fuel shortages in parts of the country.
Kyiv has described its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure as a legitimate response to Moscow’s near-daily missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, civilians and critical infrastructure since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022
