Ukrainian drones struck "important" Russian assets in an overnight attack, according to an official from Ukraine's SBU security service.
Newsweek reached out to Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Russian government for comment on Monday.
Why It Matters
It's been nearly three years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion against Ukraine. Kyiv has put up a surprisingly good fight with the help of United States and European aid. However, Russia has still managed to seize territory along Ukraine's eastern and southeastern border.
Ukraine has counter-offenses to the north and even claimed territory in Russia's Kursk region, but it's a sliver of what Russia has claimed from Ukraine dating back to 2014.
In November 2024, former U.S. President Joe Biden, a key ally to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the war, gave Kyiv permission to use U.S. weapons to strike deep inside Russia, which allowed the war-torn country to hit critical war infrastructure. President Donald Trump has said he may revoke this permission but has yet to do so.
What To Know
On Monday, the Kyiv official told Reuters that Ukraine bombarded the Ilsky oil refinery and pumping station—which the Kyiv Post called the Kropotkinskaya pumping station—in the southern Krasnodar region. According to the official, at least 20 explosions were heard at the refinery.
The oil facilities had been fueling Russia's war effort, and the overnight drone strikes led to the suspension of pumping operations, the official said. Kyiv Post reported on Monday, citing the SBU, that the facilities can process up to 6.6 million tons of oil annually.
The official explained: "Not only do they work for Russia's defence sector and provide fuel for enemy troops, but they are also important for the Russian economy, which finances the war through oil profits."
Ukrainian drones damaged a 50-million-dollar primary oil processing unit at the refinery in February 2024, according to Kyiv Post.
What People Are Saying
An SBU official told Kyiv Post: "Russian oil refineries and pumping stations are entirely legitimate targets. They not only support Russia's military by supplying fuel to enemy forces but also play a crucial role in financing the war through oil profits. Therefore, drone visits to these facilities will continue."
What Happens Next
Trump is pushing for a deal with Putin to end the war.
On Wednesday, Trump had a phone call with Putin and afterward said there was a "good possibility of ending that horrible, very bloody war." Trump said he also spoke separately with Zelensky on Wednesday, but the fact that Zelensky was not on the call with Putin has sparked concerns that Ukraine and its European allies will not have an adequate say in how these peace negotiations play out.
The Associated Press reported on Sunday, citing a U.S. official, that Secretary of State Marcio Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz and Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, will be in Saudi Arabia this week for direct talks with Russia about the war.
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About the writer
Rachel Dobkin is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on politics. Rachel joined Newsweek in ... Read more