Ukraine Targets More Russian Oil Facilities as Kyiv Seeks to Weaken Moscow’s War Effort
Ukraine carried out overnight strikes on additional oil facilities deep inside Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday, as Kyiv intensified efforts to disrupt Moscow’s wartime economy and demonstrate its long-range strike capabilities.
According to Zelensky, Ukrainian forces struck oil refineries in Russia’s Bashkortostan region, more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the front line, and in the Yaroslavl region, nearly 700 kilometers (400 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Yevrayev confirmed that drone debris caused a fire at a refinery and damaged nearby residential buildings.
Zelensky also claimed Ukrainian forces hit two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea and vessels linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which Moscow uses to transport oil while bypassing Western sanctions. He did not provide additional details.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems intercepted or destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Meanwhile, Russian missile, drone and glide bomb attacks continued across Ukraine, killing at least three civilians and injuring 22 others, according to Ukrainian authorities. The Kyiv region observed a day of mourning after a large-scale Russian strike the previous day killed 17 people.
The United Nations reported that 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 injured in Ukraine during the first half of 2026, marking a sharp increase compared with the same period last year. The U.N. attributed the rise to intensified long-range aerial attacks by Russia.
Zelensky said Ukraine is accelerating the development of its domestic ballistic missile program and working to build an anti-ballistic defense system. He expressed confidence that the program would achieve significant progress over the next two years despite challenges involving technology, production and critical components.
Ukraine is also seeking additional Patriot interceptor missiles to strengthen its air defenses against frequent Russian ballistic missile attacks. Zelensky said he discussed the issue with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, while Rutte confirmed ongoing consultations with allies to secure more air defense support for Kyiv.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched four missiles and 101 long-range drones overnight, with 66 drones intercepted or electronically jammed. Russian attacks also wounded civilians in the Sumy, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, as fighting continued across multiple fronts.
Comments are closed.