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Kyiv has conducted a string of drone attacks on major Russian
oil facilities in the last week, trying to target the lifeblood
of the Russian economy more than two years after Moscow launched
its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The privately-owned Kaluga refinery, located some 65 kilometers
(40 miles) from the outskirts of Moscow, is not one of Russia's
important oil facilities. It says its primary processing unit's
capacity is 1.2 million tons per year, roughly 24,000 barrels
per day.
The Ukrainian source said that Ukraine was checking the extent
of the damage at the facility.
Vladislav Shapsha, the Russian governor of Kaluga region, said
earlier on the Telegram messenger app that air defenses had shot
down four drones in the area where the refinery is located and
that there had been no infrastructure damage or casualties.
There was no immediate comment from the company that owns the
refinery.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the statements.
Ukraine has prioritized the production of long-range drones
during its war with Russia to narrow the gap in strike
capabilities as it faces a much larger foe with far more
sophisticated weaponry.
Ukraine's digital minister, who has championed the domestic
drone industry, told Reuters in February that Ukraine planned to
produce thousands of long-range drones this year for strikes in
Russia.
Moscow has used thousands of Iranian-made "Shahed" attack drones
to bomb targets in Ukraine since the first year of the war,
Ukrainian officials say.
Two people were killed overnight in the central Ukrainian city
of Vinnytsia when a residential building was struck during a
Russian drone attack, Kyiv officials said.
(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alison Williams and Alex
Richardson)
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