Ukraine says it has carried out one of its deepest long-range attacks inside Russian territory, targeting two major oil refineries and several vessels in the Black Sea in an effort to weaken Moscow’s financial ability to sustain its military campaign.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Russia’s Bashkortostan republic and the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in the Yaroslavl region.
According to him, the operation was designed to reduce the oil revenues that Russia relies on to fund its war in Ukraine.
Zelensky Highlights Distance of Targets
The Ukrainian leader stressed the remarkable range of the strikes, noting that the Bashneft-Novoil refinery lies around 1,300 kilometres from Ukraine’s border, while the Slavneft-Yanos facility is located roughly 700 kilometres away.
Zelensky also claimed that Ukraine successfully hit two Russian military patrol boats and several so-called “shadow fleet” vessels operating in the Black Sea.
These ships are widely associated with transporting Russian oil in ways that bypass international sanctions.
He argued that continued pressure on Russian military and economic assets would increase the prospects for diplomatic negotiations, insisting that Moscow should ultimately choose peace.
Fire Breaks Out at Yaroslavl Refinery
Russian authorities acknowledged damage following the overnight attack.
Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Evraev described it as the largest drone assault the region had experienced, reporting that 93 drones were intercepted over the area.
According to Evraev, debris from the intercepted drones ignited storage tanks at the Slavneft-Yanos refinery, sparking a large fire.
Emergency crews were deployed to contain the blaze, while four people were reported injured during the incident.
Images and videos circulating on social media showed thick black smoke rising above the refinery complex, with multiple fires appearing to burn simultaneously across the site.
Silence Over Bashkortostan Strike
While officials in Yaroslavl publicly addressed the attack, authorities in Bashkortostan had not issued any official statement regarding Ukraine’s reported strike on the Bashneft-Novoil refinery by Thursday.
The refinery has become one of the deepest targets reportedly reached by Ukrainian forces since the war began, highlighting Kyiv’s growing ability to conduct long-range operations against Russia’s energy infrastructure.
Russian Attacks Leave Civilians Dead Across Ukraine
As Ukraine launched strikes inside Russia, Russian forces carried out another wave of attacks across several Ukrainian regions, leaving at least 11 people dead.
In the Kharkiv region, emergency officials said three people were killed after drones struck residential buildings in the town of Balakliya, causing fires in private homes.
Regional authorities later confirmed that another drone attack on the railway station in Lozova killed two more people and left eight others injured.
Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa Also Hit
Fresh Russian strikes also claimed five lives in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region, according to local officials.
In the southern port city of Odesa, one person was killed after Russian forces targeted two dry cargo ships, adding to the growing toll from the latest overnight bombardments.
Kherson Suffers Total Power Outage
The southern city of Kherson was plunged into a complete blackout after Russian attacks reportedly damaged a critical infrastructure facility overnight.
Regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said the strike knocked out electricity across the entire city, creating significant challenges for residents and emergency responders.
Moscow Reports Hundreds of Ukrainian Drones Intercepted
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence systems intercepted or destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones during the overnight assault across multiple regions.
The ministry also stated that Russian forces carried out strikes on Ukrainian fuel depots, energy infrastructure, transport facilities and drone storage locations as part of their latest military operations.
Conflict Continues With No Diplomatic Breakthrough
The latest exchange of attacks underscores the continued escalation of the conflict, with both Russia and Ukraine increasingly targeting energy facilities, logistics hubs and strategic infrastructure far from the front lines.
Despite repeated international mediation efforts, there has been little progress toward ending the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
As long-range strikes become more frequent on both sides, the conflict continues to expand beyond the battlefield while prospects for a negotiated settlement remain uncertain.
