Ukraine carried out the largest strike in the months in the months, hit the largest Russian oil terminal and lit two tankers, which led to a temporary stop on Saturday, France 24.
The terminal operated by the Russian oil company Bashneft lies about 1,400 kilometers from the front line.
Radiy Khabirov, head of the Russian region Bashcortostan, said, as France 24 states, one drone hit the plant while the other was shot down. “There were no victims or injuries. The production site suffered minor damage and a fire broke out, which is currently going out,” he wrote on the telegram.
Meanwhile, the New York Post report said that one of the tankers who set on fire had the ability to carry up to 700,000 barrels of oil. The fires were later expelled, but it remains unclear whether the loading operations have been restored.
The shots shared on the social media seemed to have captured the drone gliding to the terminal before the firing in a fire explosion and released a thick cloud of smoke into the air.
The strike is part of the wider campaign of Ukraine focused on Russian refineries to disrupt Moscow’s war financing. During the summer, many such attacks reduced refinery capacity in key races and increased fuel prices.
The Bashneft UFA refinery, which the Kreml described in 2016 as “one of the largest in the country”, produces more than 150 different oil products, France 24 reported.
US President Donald Trump called NATO allies on Saturday to stop buying Russian oil, and urged it to push Moscow to end the conflict. Despite sanctions, Turkey, Hungary and Slovakia continue to import Russian oil.
Trump posted on his social media website that NATO’s commitment to win the “much less than 100%” war and the purchase of Russian oil by some members of the alliance is “shocking”. As if he were talking to NATO members, he said, “It weakens your bargaining position and bargaining power over Russia.”
Since 2023, NATO member Turkey has been the third largest buyer of Russian oil in China and India. According to the Energy and Clean Air Research Center. Other members of the 32-State Alliance involved in the purchase of Russian oil include Hungary and Slovakia. It is not clear whether Trump would like to face Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. This leaves uncertain whether threats could actually lead to new tariffs or to ban Russian oil purchases.
(Tagstotranslate) Ukraine
