Ukraine says major Russian oil refinery and airfield hit, as Moscow reports eight deaths
Ukraine has carried out overnight strikes deep inside Russia, targeting a major oil refinery and a strategic airfield in the Saratov region, some 600km from the Ukrainian border, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. He described the attacks, which also struck an oil depot in Kaluga and a drone launch site in Bryansk, as "long-range sanctions" against facilities he says help fund Moscow's war effort. The strikes come as both sides intensify attacks on cities, energy infrastructure and warehouses, with the front line largely static and US-led efforts to broker peace yet to produce a breakthrough.
Russia said eight people were killed and 635 drones were shot down or intercepted, while the Engels airfield, home to Tu-95MC and Tu-160 strategic bombers, reportedly caught fire. Separate casualties were reported in Udmurtia and Belgorod, and a Wildberries warehouse in Samara was hit, which Ukraine says supplies drone components to Russia's military. Russia said it struck two Ukrainian ports and two Black Sea vessels, and later attacks on a Kharkiv postal terminal and a Rozetka warehouse were reported, continuing a pattern of tit-for-tat strikes on logistics and retail infrastructure on both sides.
In short
- Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery and strategic airfield in Saratov region
- Russia reports eight deaths and 635 drones downed overnight
- Both sides continue hitting cities, energy sites and warehouses amid stalled peace efforts
Explained simply
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the two countries have since fought over territory while also attacking sites far from the front. Ukraine says it targets Russian fuel, air bases and supply facilities because they support the military; Russia says it targets Ukrainian infrastructure too.
The Saratov region lies hundreds of kilometres inside Russia. Engels airfield there is used by Russian strategic bombers, aircraft capable of carrying long-range weapons. Both countries’ claims about the purpose and effects of strikes can be difficult to verify independently.
The fighting has increasingly affected energy, transport and storage sites as well as military positions. These attacks matter because they can disrupt supplies and services, while adding to the risks for civilians; meanwhile, efforts led by the United States to reach a peace deal have not produced a breakthrough.