Ukraine drone attack sparks fire at Russian oil refinery; two injured as houses burnt in Kharkiv

Ukraine attacked an oil refinery in Russia’s Kaluga region in the early hours of Friday, setting the facility on fire, according to Russian media reports.

Several explosions were heard in the Dzerzhinsky district of the Kaluga region, which borders the broader Moscow region, The Moscow Times reported, citing Russian Telegram channel SHOT. CNBC could not independently verify the reports.

Vladislav Shapsha, governor of the Kaluga region, said in a Google-translated post via Telegram that the fire was promptly extinguished, and the extent of the damage was still being assessed. He did not say at what facility the incident took place.

Separately, two people were injured and residential houses were set ablaze as a result of a Russian attack on Ukraine’s Kharkiv in the early hours of Friday, according to the city’s regional governor.

Ukraine’s armed forces said Friday that they destroyed all 10 drones as Russia launched an overnight assault.

Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine have intensified in recent weeks, which analysts say likely reflects the Kremlin’s intent to secure tactical gains before the arrival of Western military aid to the front lines.