Ukraine launched at least 361 drones at Russia overnight, attacking one of Russia’s largest oil refineries.
Falling debris from drone attacks sparked a fire at the Kirishi oil refinery east of Saint Petersburg, Russian officials said, with no injuries reported. Kirishi refines around 6.4% of Russia’s total barrels of oil per day, and is owned by Russian oil company Bashneft.
“The most effective sanctions – the sanctions that work the fastest – are firing on Russian oil plants, on their terminals, on their oil depots,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“They have significantly restricted the Russian oil industry, and this significantly limits the war.”
Bashneft has said it will maintain production levels despite the damage to the refinery. The extent of the damage has not yet been confirmed.
Russia also said it had shot down Ukrainian guided aerial bombs and high mobility artillery rockets. Ukraine’s military reported shooting down a Russian ballistic missile along with 164 drones.
United States President Donald Trump said that the U.S. is prepared to add new sanctions on Russia if NATO countries stop purchasing oil from Russia. Turkey, a NATO member, is the third largest international buyer of Russian oil after India and China.
“I am ready to do major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO Nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The U.S. doubled tariffs on India from 25% to 50% last month, citing its purchases of Russian oil. Trump has also encouraged both NATO and the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100% on India and China for buying Russian oil.
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