Zelenskyy says Ukraine hit oil refinery deep inside Russia

Ukraine has said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Moscow region, marking one of the deepest reported attacks into Russian territory in recent months.

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the target was hit at a distance of around 500 kilometres, highlighting what he described as the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities.

“This time, the Moscow region felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities. An oil refinery was hit at a distance of 500 kilometres,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

He added that the strike was carried out by multiple branches of Ukraine’s security and defence forces, including the Security Service of Ukraine, special operations units and missile forces.

‘Response to Russian strikes’

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack was intended as retaliation for Russian military actions and part of a wider effort to increase pressure on Moscow.

“This is a just response to Russian strikes and to the dragging out of a war that must be ended,” he said.

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He also argued that such operations form part of a broader strategy to force Russia towards ending the conflict.

“Russia must be forced to end its war against our people. And Ukraine’s long-range weapons are one of the important components of such pressure,” he added.

Fire reported in Krasnodar region

Separately, Russian authorities reported a fire at an oil storage facility in the village of Poltavskaya in the Krasnodar region, which they said was caused by falling drone debris.

Local officials said the fire has since been extinguished. No further details were immediately provided about the extent of the damage or any casualties.

Growing use of drone warfare

The incidents come amid an intensifying pattern of cross-border strikes, with both sides increasingly relying on drones and long-range weapons to target energy and military infrastructure. G7 leaders, meeting in France, are discussing how to end the war between the two. 

Ukraine has repeatedly focused on oil and energy facilities inside Russia, aiming to disrupt supply chains and apply economic pressure, while Moscow continues large-scale strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Escalation far from front lines

The reported strike near Moscow underscores how the conflict has expanded beyond front-line regions, bringing the effects of the war closer to Russia’s political and economic centres.

While Ukraine frames such operations as necessary responses, they also reflect a broader escalation in tactics, raising questions about how the conflict may evolve in the coming months.

Independent verification of strikes inside Russia remains limited, with both sides often releasing partial information about the scale and impact of attacks, making it difficult to assess the full extent of damage.

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