Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Refinery for the Second Time in One Week

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Wednesday that Ukrainian forces hit Russia's large Ufa oil refinery for the second time in just one week. The refinery is one of Russia's biggest producers of lubricants, which are substances used to keep machines running smoothly. It sits more than 1,000 kilometers — about 600 miles — from Ukraine, making the strike a notable long-range attack. Ukraine also hit a factory in Russia's Penza region that makes parts for missiles, located about 500 kilometers from Ukraine's border.

Russian officials did not confirm that the strikes happened, and outside reporters could not verify them on their own. However, Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down 179 Ukrainian drones flying over 16 different Russian regions, as well as over Crimea and parts of the Black Sea and Azov Sea. The governor of the Penza region said only that falling drone parts damaged a power line and landed on a building still under construction. He did not mention the factory strike at all.

Ukraine has been hitting Russian oil facilities — including refineries, fuel storage areas, and pipeline stations — almost every day for many months. These attacks have led to fuel shortages across Russia, which is normally one of the world's top energy producers. Many parts of Russia have had to introduce fuel rationing, meaning people can only buy a limited amount of fuel at a time. Ukraine says these strikes are helping slow down Russian military operations.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the strikes are making it hard for Russia to move soldiers to the front line and keep them supplied. Western officials and military analysts agree, saying Ukraine has gained an advantage in recent months. Ukraine has developed new weapons on its own, and its drones and missiles have disrupted Russian supply routes behind the battlefield. This has taken away some of Russia's momentum, or forward push, in the war.

Ukraine has also become a supplier of military technology to other countries, especially drones. Sweden's Defense Minister Paul Jonsson visited Kyiv and said European nations want Ukraine to become part of Euro-Atlantic defenses. On Tuesday, Ukraine signed a deal for Sweden to provide it with Gripen fighter jets. Fedorov said those jets will help Ukraine stop Russian planes that carry powerful glide bombs.

The question of Ukraine joining NATO — the alliance of Western nations that promise to defend each other — remains complicated and will be discussed at a summit in Turkey next week. Jonsson strongly supported Ukraine's membership, saying the sooner it happens, the better it will be for everyone's safety. Zelenskyy also traveled to Ireland on Wednesday, since Ireland currently leads the EU's rotating presidency. He expressed hope that real progress toward EU membership could be made during Ireland's leadership.

While Ukraine was striking targets inside Russia, Russian forces continued to attack Ukraine as well. A Russian drone hit a bus in the southern Kherson region, killing two people and injuring six others. Overnight, Russia also attacked five gas stations in the Dnipropetrovsk region, killing a 43-year-old woman and injuring three others, including a pregnant woman. Russian forces have been targeting Ukrainian gas stations more and more in recent weeks.