Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Ryazan Refinery Amid Massive Attacks

UPDATE: Ukraine has confirmed a significant strike on the Ryazan oil refinery, as Russia launched a massive assault on Ukrainian energy infrastructure overnight. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that military forces targeted the oil-processing facility located 193 kilometers southeast of Moscow early Saturday morning.

The Ryazan refinery is one of Russia’s largest, boasting a design capacity of approximately 340,000 barrels of crude oil per day. This facility has previously been subjected to multiple attacks in recent months, highlighting the escalating tensions in the region. While Ukraine claims responsibility for the strike, independent verification of these reports remains unconfirmed.

In a devastating counteroffensive, Russia’s military executed a large-scale attack involving 653 drones and 51 missiles, targeting various regions across Ukraine. This assault has resulted in widespread power outages in major cities, including Odesa, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry announced these developments via Telegram on Saturday morning, underscoring the urgency of the situation.

The strikes have severely impacted Ukraine’s electrical grid, with damage reported at a thermal power plant owned by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company. As a result, operational nuclear power plants are being forced to reduce output, as confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

This latest wave of military action by Russia follows a record series of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries throughout November 2023. Just yesterday, another Rosneft refinery located in Syzran was also targeted, as Kyiv seeks to diminish Moscow’s military fuel supply capabilities amidst ongoing peace negotiations that show little sign of progress.

As the situation unfolds, the international community is closely monitoring these developments. The intensity of these military operations raises significant concerns regarding the humanitarian impact and the broader implications for regional stability.

What to watch next: Continued military exchanges are anticipated in the coming days, with both sides likely to escalate their operations. Observers are urged to stay informed as more updates emerge regarding this critical situation.