Zelenskyy says Ukraine hits a Russian oil refinery for the second time in a week
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian forces have struck Russia’s major Ufa oil refinery for the second time in a week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Wednesday.
Long range almost every day Attack on Russian oil facilities we created a fuel crisis and increased political pressure on the Kremlin. All-out invasion of Ukraine It is entering its fifth year.
The Ufa refinery is one of Russia’s largest lubricant producers and is located more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Ukraine, Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine also hit a facility producing missile components in Russia’s Penza region, southeast of Moscow, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from Ukraine.
Russian officials did not confirm the attacks, which could not be independently verified. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 179 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were seized in 16 regions of Russia, annexed Crimea and Azov, and in the Black Sea waters.
Penza Governor Oleg Melnichenko said only that the falling drone debris damaged a power line and landed on a building under construction.
Ukraine says drone strikes slow Russia’s advance
Developed and produced domestically in Ukraine drones and missiles has been attacking Russian oil facilities, including refineries, terminals, storage depots and pipeline pump stations, for months.
Fuel rationing has been imposed in many regions of Russia, one of the world’s largest energy producers.
There is Ukraine developed new weapons It has gained an advantage in recent months, according to Western officials. Officials and analysts say attacks on supply routes behind the front lines have eroded the Russian army’s momentum on the battlefield.
“The Russians now have big problems with delivering and supplying infantry to the front line,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Wednesday.
Ukraine sees growing interest in its military technology
Ukraine becomes military technology provider wanted by countries worldwide, especially drones.
with European countries to be scared As for what Moscow’s territorial ambitions might be beyond Ukraine, leaders have described Kiev as a bulwark against Russian advances.
Swedish Defense Minister Paul Jonsson said in Kiev, where he met with Fedorov, that Ukraine “has become the security provider for all of Europe.”
Ukraine signed an agreement on Tuesday for Sweden to supply Gripen fighter jets to Kiev. They will help Ukraine stop the transportation of Russian planes powerful glide bombsFedorov said.
Jonsson said that European countries want Ukraine to be integrated into the Euro-Atlantic defense, but Ukraine’s membership in NATO is a controversial issue and will probably be discussed at the alliance summit to be held in Türkiye next week.
“The sooner this happens, the better it will be for you, the better it will be for our security and our well-being,” Jonsson told a news conference.
Ukraine also wants to join the European Union, but this process may take years. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy arrived in Ireland, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
“Ukraine proves every day that it deserves to be an equal partner of our common European home. And we hope that during Ireland’s presidency of the EU Council we will be able to make concrete progress towards membership and open all clusters of negotiations,” Zelenskyy said.
3 Ukrainian civilians died in Russian attacks
Russia’s long-range strikes against Ukraine continued, with three civilians reported dead on Wednesday.
A Russian drone crashed into a bus in the southern Kherson region, killing two people and injuring six others, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said.
A 43-year-old woman was killed and three people, including a 35-year-old pregnant woman, were injured when Russia attacked five gas stations in the central Dnipropetrovsk region overnight, according to regional authorities.
Russian forces are increasingly targeting gas stations in Ukraine.
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