Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Largest Refinery in Siberia, Escalating Air Campaign Against Moscow

Ukraine launched its most distant attack since the war began, targeting the largest oil refinery in Omsk, Siberia, approximately 2,700 kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory. The strike, carried out by drones, hit a key Russian oil infrastructure site, setting it on fire according to Russian authorities, though most drones were intercepted by air defenses and no casualties were reported. The extent of the damage to the refinery has not been disclosed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the attack as a significant achievement, emphasizing that even Siberia is now within Ukraine’s strike range. He stated that the decisive battlefield has shifted from land and sea to the air, where Ukraine is narrowing the gap with Russia. In an interview with the Financial Times, Zelensky asserted that the air campaign would determine the war’s outcome, aiming to increase economic and psychological pressure on the Kremlin by intensifying drone strikes deep inside Russia.

Zelensky warned that as the number of drone attacks grows, so will the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, "The farther Putin is from Moscow, the closer the end of the war." This attack is part of an ongoing Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure, which has caused severe fuel shortages across Russia, forcing several regions to impose fuel sale restrictions and prompting Russia to import fuel from countries like India and Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, Russia continues its missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, with a recent strike killing 26 people, including 16 in Kyiv, and damaging numerous buildings. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted most drones and some missiles but failed to stop ballistic missiles launched at the country.

Zelensky attended the NATO summit in Ankara to push for expanded military aid, particularly ballistic missile defense systems, highlighting the critical shortage of Patriot interceptors in Ukraine and urging allies to help increase production capacity for air defense systems.