Charles Mainz

Ukraine said its drone struck an oil refinery in the Russian city of Saratov, some 500 miles to the southeast of Moscow, with the local governor confirming damage to civilian infrastructure.

Separately, authorities in Russia's southern Krasnodar region said a drone struck a large fuel depot, causing a massive fire.

Months of Ukrainian attacks have degraded Russia's oil export capacity, by some estimates up to 40%.

Yet the attacks also appear to be taking a toll on domestic consumption.

The Kremlin-backed government in occupied Crimea announced rationing of petrol on the peninsula, with social media users reporting long lines of cars outside gas stations.

Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of a security forum outside Moscow earlier this week.

While neither side offered details, both suggested in comments to media that their aim was to deepen relations.

Russia is currently the only country that recognizes the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government, since it returned to power following the withdrawal of U.S.

and NATO forces in 2021.

To do so, the Kremlin removed the Islamic group from its official terrorism list and

and the two set aside tensions dating back to the Soviet invasion of 1979.

Today, the Kremlin is pushing Western sanctions relief for their Afghan allies, something Moscow also wants to see from the West when it comes to Russia's own actions in Ukraine.

Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.

Kiev said it was imposing an open-ended ceasefire as of midnight Wednesday.

In effect, it's a challenge to Moscow to extend its own proposed truce May 8th and 9th, when Russia commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Russian fears of Ukrainian drone attacks have already forced the Kremlin to scale back its annual military parade on Red Square this Saturday.

Russian authorities say the restrictions are temporary measures in the interests of public safety.

Analysts say the blackouts have focused growing public frustration with the war in Ukraine itself now in its fifth year.

Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.