Ukraine launched drone attacks on several Russian oil facilities and set two oil tankers ablaze in the Sea of Azov, contributing to a growing fuel crisis in Russia. Drones struck oil depots in the Tver and Stavropol regions overnight into Thursday.

According to Rostov Governor Yury Slyusar, one of the tankers was still burning following the attack, and the crews were evacuated safely. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian defense forces also hit a reserve fuel storage facility approximately 800 kilometers from the front line and an oil-pumping station in Ufa nearly 1,500 kilometers from Ukraine’s border.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia fired 94 long-range strike drones and two ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, indicating ongoing hostilities.

These attacks occurred a day after U.S. President Donald Trump met with Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Turkiye, where he pledged to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture the Patriot air defense system, marking a notable shift from their previous interactions.

Additional context includes Russian attacks on Ukraine that killed seven people as NATO leaders convened in Ankara, NATO’s pledge of 70 billion euros for Ukraine, and economic hardships faced by Russians amid the war.

Sources