Russian forces shot down 17 Ukrainian drones over its territory overnight on April 28, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed.
According to the ministry, Russian air defense shot down two drones over Belgorod Oblast, three over Kursk Oblast, three over Kaluga Oblast, and nine over Bryansk Oblast.
Vladislav Shapsha, governor of Kaluga Oblast in Russia, claimed that three drones "fell down" near an oil depot in the town of Lyudinovo. No casualties or damages were reported.
Ukrainian officials did not comment on these claims, which cannot be verified independently.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry, which is crucial to sustain Moscow's war efforts. One of the oil refineries was targeted in Kaluga Oblast in mid-March in an attack reportedly carried out by Ukraine's military intelligence agency.
In one of the latest strikes, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck with drones two oil refineries and a military airfield in Russia's Krasnodar Oblast on April 27, hitting "key technological objects," according to the Kyiv Independent's source in the security and defense forces.
Strikes against Russian energy targets have prompted criticism from U.S. officials, who have made it clear that Washington does not support Ukraine's campaign against oil refineries, citing fears that it could threaten the global energy market.
In response, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv has the right to use its own weapons with retaliatory strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Igor Kossov
(Updated: )
