Ukraine says it attacked two Russian oil refineries
Ukraine said it carried out strikes on two oil refineries in Russia, as the war increasingly centers on energy infrastructure and long-range drone attacks. Russian authorities said the attacks killed at least two people.
The reported strikes are the latest in a series of Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities. Kyiv has repeatedly sought to disrupt Russia’s fuel supply and military logistics by targeting refineries, storage sites, and other critical infrastructure inside Russia.
Russian officials said the attacks involved drones. They also said at least two people were killed in the incidents, though further details were not immediately clear. As with many wartime claims, the competing accounts could not be independently verified from the information available.
The targeting of refineries has become a notable feature of the conflict, with both sides using drones and missiles to strike deep behind enemy lines. For Ukraine, such operations aim to pressure Russia’s economy and reduce its capacity to sustain the war. For Russia, the attacks underscore the reach of Ukrainian drones and the vulnerability of infrastructure far from the front line.
Energy facilities have remained a frequent target throughout the conflict, reflecting the strategic importance of fuel production and distribution in wartime. Russian refineries play a major role in processing crude oil into products used domestically and exported abroad, making them significant assets for both the economy and the military.
The latest strikes come amid continued escalation in drone warfare, which has transformed the nature of attacks between the two countries. Ukraine has increasingly relied on such operations to strike targets inside Russia, while Russian forces have carried out their own attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
Authorities in Russia said they were responding to the drone attacks, but no additional information was immediately provided about the damage or the condition of the refineries. The broader impact of the strikes was also not immediately known.