Ukraine strikes two Russian oil refineries deep in enemy territory

Ukrainian forces launched a wave of drone strikes against two oil refineries located deep inside Russian territory on Thursday, in one of the most far-reaching attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Two refineries hit and set ablaze

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Russia's Bashkortostan republic — approximately 1,300 km from the Ukrainian border — and the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in the Yaroslavl region, about 700 km away, were both struck in coordinated overnight attacks.

Yaroslavl's regional governor Mikhail Evraev described the assault on Slavneft-Yanos as the largest enemy drone attack the region had ever experienced. Falling debris ignited storage tanks, injuring four people. Emergency crews fought the fires through the night. Evraev reported that 93 drones were intercepted over the Yaroslavl region alone.

Shadow fleet and patrol boats targeted in Black Sea

Beyond the land strikes, Zelensky reported that Ukrainian forces also hit two military patrol boats and several vessels from Russia's so-called shadow fleet — tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions on Russian oil exports — in the Black Sea.

«Russia must choose peace,» Zelensky declared, adding that Ukrainian strikes were «strengthening chances for diplomacy.»

Russia strikes back across Ukraine

Simultaneously, Russia launched its own attacks. At least 11 people were killed in Russian strikes across Ukraine, and the southern city of Kherson suffered a complete power blackout. Russian officials said their forces targeted fuel depots, energy infrastructure, and transport facilities.

The dual escalation comes as the vast front line remains essentially static and diplomatic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have so far produced no breakthrough.