A Ukrainian drone struck an oil refinery in central Russias Kaluga region, local authorities said Friday, as a recent uptick in attacks onthe countrys energy infrastructure possibly risks destabilizing global energy markets.The Kaluga region, located south of Moscow, was among at least five Russian regions that reported drone strikes between Thursday night and Friday morning.Last night, a fire occurred as a result of a drone crash on the territory of an enterprise in the Dzerzhinsky district, Kaluga region Governor Vladislav Shapshawrote on Telegram.
He did not identify the enterprise by name, only saying that the fire had been extinguished and there were no casualties.Russias state-run news agency RIA Novosti, citing anonymous emergency service sources, reported that three diesel tankers and one fuel oil tanker caught fire at a small Kaluga region refinery after the strike.An unverified video shared by the independent Telegram news channel Astrashowed an industrial site engulfed in flames.Drones previouslyattacked the Kaluga refinery on March 15, the day when Russia kicked off its presidential election in which Vladimir Putin secured a six-year term despite widespread reports of fraud and an uneven political playing field.United States officialshave previously warnedthat Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries could have a knock-on effect in terms of the global energy situation.Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries inside Russia have led to aslump in the countrys gasoline production, according to Russian media reports.Russias Defense Ministry made no mention of the drone strike on the Kaluga oil refinery butsaid it had intercepted Ukrainian drones over the Bryansk, Moscow, and Belgorod regions overnight and early Friday.The governor of the Kursk regionsaid drone strikes there had set three houses on fire, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyaninsaid one drone was intercepted over the nearby city of Podolsk as it reportedly flew toward the Russian capital.