Drone attacks allegedly damage Russian energy infrastructure
A drone attack reportedly damaged energy infrastructure in Russia's Oryol and Kursk Oblasts, local Russian officials reported on May 1.
Governor of the Kursk region, Roman Starovoyt, announced at around 11:00 p.m. local time that a Ukrainian drone attack damaged power lines in the village of Ponyri, cutting off electricity to the area.
A few hours later, the Governor of the Oryol region, Andrey Klychkov, reported that downed drones damaged energy facilities in the Glazunovsky and Sverdlovsky districts. Power was subsequently disrupted in a number of households.
Energy infrastructure in the Smolensk Oblast was also reportedly targeted by Ukrainian drones, according to regional governor Vasily Anokhin. No damage was reported.
These claims could not be independently verified.
Earlier this month, a fire broke out at an energy facility in Smolensk Oblast following an alleged Ukrainian drone attack.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry. A large-scale attack against Russian energy infrastructure on April 20 reportedly started a fire at a fuel storage tank in Smolensk Oblast.
Strikes against Russian energy targets have prompted criticism from U.S. officials, who have made it clear that Washington does not support Ukraine's attacks on 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.
Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones hit oil refineries in two Russian regions
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