Ukraine says it has carried out a series of long-range attacks against two major oil refineries deep inside Russian territory, while also targeting vessels operating in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Russia’s Bashkortostan republic and the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in the Yaroslavl region were struck. He said the attacks were intended to reduce oil revenues that Moscow uses to help finance its war against Ukraine.
The Slavneft-Yanos refinery is located nearly 700km (435 miles) from the Ukrainian border, while Bashneft-Novoil is approximately 1,300km (808 miles) away.
Yaroslavl regional governor Mikhail Evraev described the incident as the region’s largest enemy drone attack. He said 93 drones were shot down overnight and that falling debris struck storage tanks at the refinery, causing a major fire. Four people were reported injured.
Videos and photographs circulating online showed large columns of smoke rising from the Slavneft-Yanos facility, with several fires apparently burning across the refinery complex.
Zelensky also said two military patrol boats and vessels associated with Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” were hit in the Black Sea. The term refers to tankers used to transport Russian oil while attempting to bypass international sanctions.
“Russia must choose peace,” Zelensky said, arguing that Ukraine’s strikes were intended to increase pressure on Moscow and improve the prospects for diplomacy.
The attacks came as both countries continued exchanging large-scale drone and missile strikes.
Ukraine reported that at least 11 people were killed in Russian attacks. Three people died after drones struck residential homes in Balakliya in the Kharkiv region, while two others were killed in an attack on a railway station in Lozova. Eight people were also reported injured.
Five more people were killed in strikes on Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region, according to local officials.
In the southern city of Kherson, electricity was knocked out across the city after critical infrastructure was struck. Internet connectivity was also heavily disrupted, although generators and backup power systems helped keep some services operating.
In the Black Sea port city of Odesa, one person was reported killed after Russian forces struck two dry cargo vessels.
Russia, meanwhile, said its military intercepted or destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions. Moscow said its forces also attacked Ukrainian fuel, energy and transportation infrastructure, along with sites used to store drones.
The latest strikes highlight the growing focus by both sides on energy facilities and other strategic infrastructure as fighting along much of the front line remains largely unchanged.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and despite repeated international mediation efforts, attempts to reach a lasting settlement have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
