- Ukraine hit more oil facilities deep inside Russia in overnight attacks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday, as Kyiv kept up its campaign to undermine Moscow’s wartime economy.
- Zelenskyy confirmed strikes on a refinery in Bashkortostan (over 1,300 km from the front line) and a refinery in Yaroslavl (almost 700 km from the border).
- Yaroslavl Gov. Mikhail Yevrayev confirmed the attack, stating that drone debris hit the facility’s oil reservoirs, sparking a fire and damaging three private houses.
- The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defenses shot down 605 Ukrainian drones overnight.
- Zelenskyy also reported that Ukrainian forces hit two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea, along with vessels belonging to Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet.
Ukrainian forces have escalated their campaign against Russian oil infrastructure, targeting refineries in Bashkortostan and Yaroslavl, which are over 1,300 kilometers and 700 kilometers from the front line, respectively. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed these strikes as part of efforts to undermine Russia's wartime economy.12
Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Yevrayev reported that drone debris ignited fires at the refinery, damaging residential areas. The attacks have intensified concerns over fuel shortages in Russia, further straining its resources.
In addition to the refinery strikes, Ukrainian forces also targeted two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea, aiming to disrupt Moscow's maritime operations. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 605 Ukrainian drones during the overnight assaults, indicating the scale of the ongoing conflict and the challenges faced by both sides.45
These developments reflect Ukraine's strategy to strike deep within Russian territory, aiming to embarrass the Kremlin and weaken its economic stability amidst the ongoing war.
“The strikes, which hit targets over 1,300 kilometers from the front line, are part of Kyiv's campaign to undermine Moscow's wartime economy and embarrass the Kremlin. Yaroslavl Gov. Mikhail Yevrayev confirmed drone debris sparked a fire at a refinery, damaging residential buildings.”
The Globe and Mail
