The Afipsky refinery in southern Russia caught fire overnight as Ukraine continues to strike its enemy’s energy infrastructure, exacerbating fuel shortages.

Falling debris from a drone in southern Russia sparked a blaze when it hit a unit at the Afipsky oil refinery, but the flames have been put out, regional authorities said on Friday.

Russia launched out a series of drone attacks on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Thursday night, causing fires in multiple locations. Meanwhile Ukraine has once again targeted Russian infrastructure, including an oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai.

The Ukrainians have found answers to Russian counter-moves before. For example, Ukraine started deploying suicide drone boats in the Black Sea in late 2022, scoring hits on the Russian Navy fleet. The Russians eventually responded with armed helicopters, which easily located and destroyed the new Ukrainian threats.

European defence ministers and Ukraine held urgent talks on Friday over plans for a so-called “drone wall” to defend NATO’s eastern flank amid an alarming rise in Russian incursions and unidentified drone flights testing European airspace.

Germany said Thursday it would step up its defences -- from drone warfare to outer space -- at a time of growing tensions between Russia and NATO while the Ukraine war grinds on.Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Thursday that Germany would spend 35 billion euros ($41 billion) on outer space defence by 2030,

It wasn’t immediately clear who was behind the flyover. But Denmark’s prime minister and NATO’s secretary-general said Tuesday that Russian involvement couldn’t be ruled out.

Russia is banning exports of fuel until the end of the year as gas pumps across the country and in the areas under its occupation are increasingly running dry because of Ukrainian drone attacks.