KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — On Sunday, Ukraine launched a targeted wave of strikes against Russia's oil export infrastructure, marking a significant escalation in its efforts to disrupt Moscow's revenue sources amid the ongoing conflict. A nighttime drone strike was reported to have ignited a blaze at Primorsk, Russia’s largest oil exporting port located on the Baltic Sea. This strategic port, operated by Russia's state oil firm Transneft, is capable of handling hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil per day and has been a focal point of previous attacks by Ukraine.
Local authorities, including Russian regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko, confirmed that the drone strike did not lead to an oil spill; however, no further details regarding potential casualties or the extent of the damage were immediately provided. The port is situated over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine, strategically located between the Russian-Finnish border and St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also reported that Ukrainian forces successfully targeted two Russian tankers near the entrance of Novorossiysk, a major Black Sea port. Zelenskyy stated, “These tankers were actively used to transport oil. Now they won’t," indicating the impactful nature of the operation led by Ukraine's Chief of General Staff, Andrii Hnatov. He alleged that the targeted tankers belonged to what he termed Russia's "shadow oil fleet," which is utilized to bypass Western sanctions and price caps imposed on Russian energy exports. Moscow has yet to acknowledge Zelenskyy's assertions regarding the tankers.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified its offensive against Russian oil export infrastructure. Ukrainian officials argue that the revenues generated from oil exports play a direct role in financing Russia's ongoing military campaign, which has now entered its fifth year. This strategic campaign targets the economic underpinnings of Russia’s war efforts.
In parallel, the conflict’s toll on civilians remains severe, with recent reports indicating casualties due to drone strikes. In Ukraine's southern Odesa region, two individuals were killed, and three others injured when Russian drones struck residential buildings overnight. The Ukrainian Emergency Service noted that the drones also targeted port infrastructure, igniting a fire that emergency teams later extinguished.
Another Russian strike occurred in central Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring six individuals. A passenger bus carrying 40 children sustained damage during this input, but fortunately, no injuries were reported among those on board.
In Russia, a counter-offensive resulted in a fatal attack near Volokolamsk, west of Moscow, where a Ukrainian drone strike claimed the life of a 77-year-old man, as reported by local Governor Andrei Vorobyov. He noted that a total of six drones were intercepted in the Moscow region, with at least five more downed on the approach to the capital according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
The Russian Defense Ministry disclosed that 334 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were downed overnight over Russian territory and occupied Crimea. Meanwhile, in a counter-operation, Russia launched a total of 269 drones and ballistic missiles against Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that its forces successfully shot down 249 of these drones; however, some ballistic missiles and 19 drones managed to strike 15 locations across Ukraine, highlighting the ongoing intensity of the military confrontations.
