Russia shot down 376 Ukrainian drones, oil facilities were targeted

Russian authorities said on Friday they had destroyed 376 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight and that fires had broken out at several oil facilities.

Ukraine has stepped up its efforts in recent months to cripple Moscow's financial ability in the war, targeting energy infrastructure in return for attacks.

Moscow's air defense units intercepted drones across the country, including in the capital's territory, the defense ministry wrote on its state-owned Max platform, Al Arabiya reported from AFP (10/7).

Drone attacks also sparked fires at oil facilities in southern Russia, authorities said, with debris from the unmanned aircraft causing a fire at an oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai, while fires occurred at two gasoline storage facilities in the Azov District.

Drone debris fell on a town in the Severskaya District, Krasnodar Krai, where the Ilsky refinery is located, including on the yard of a house, the regional operational headquarters uploaded it on Telegram.

"In Azov, emergency services are at the scene," regional governor Yury Slyusar wrote on Telegram. Authorities reported no fatalities.

The attack comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted last month his country was experiencing a fuel shortage after repeated Ukrainian attacks.

Kyiv called the attack a just retaliation for Russia's near-daily attacks on Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure since Moscow's February 2022 invasion.