Ukrainian forces hit major Russian oil refineries as Russia launches wide drone barrage

Ukraine’s military announced that overnight operations eliminated critical components of the Ufa refinery in Bashkiria and the Kuibyshev plant in Samara, both integral to Russia’s war logistics. The Ukrainian command framed the action as a lawful act of self-defence under the UN charter. In retaliation, Russian forces launched an extensive drone and missile campaign that struck an energy complex in Poltava and resulted in four deaths and six injuries in Dnipro.

Additional Ukrainian strikes set fire to three drone warehouses and damaged five launch sites and a UAV base in the Orzhiv area. Russia then fired a ballistic missile at a Naftogaz oil-and-gas hub, a facility already weakened by prior attacks, leaving its restoration prospects negligible. Ukrainian officials reported that, despite the widespread damage, the country has secured enough gas reserves for winter needs.