From Drones to Disruptions: Russian Oil Refineries Under Attack Ahead of Elections”.

A drone attack has targeted an oil refinery in Ryazan, Russia, located about 200 km southeast of Moscow. This attack occurred just two days before the upcoming election in Russia scheduled from March 15 to 17, where Vladimir Putin is expected to win a new six-year term uncontested.

The governor of the Ryazan region, Pavel Malkov, confirmed that the refinery was attacked by a drone, resulting in injuries and a fire at the facility. The oil refinery is one of the largest producers of fuel for central Russia and is controlled by the oil giant Rosneft. Emergency services are currently at the scene, responding to the situation.

In addition to the attack in Ryazan, another drone was intercepted as it approached an oil refinery in the Leningrad region near Saint Petersburg. Regional governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that this incident did not cause any casualties or damage. Several regions in Russia, bordering Ukraine, have been targeted by Ukrainian drone attacks over the past two days, with energy sites being the main focus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of launching attacks on Russian territories to disrupt the upcoming presidential election. Putin stated that these attacks are a ploy to undermine the democratic process and prevent Russian citizens from expressing their will through voting. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 58 drones were intercepted in different regions.

Despite the continued drone attacks, Russian authorities have managed to intercept and destroy most of the drones targeting different regions. Oil refineries and industrial sites have been the major targets of these attacks, causing fires and minor damages. The attacks have also resulted in power cuts in some areas due to damage caused by drones to power lines.

Ukrainian forces have been escalating drone attacks on Russia since last summer, with the attacks reaching deeper into Russian territory over time