Ukraine Resumes Drone Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries
Volodymyr Zelenskyy authorized renewed drone attacks on Russian oil infrastructure in response to energy strikes on Ukraine, defying U.S. pressure to halt the campaign.
Ukrainian drones targeted multiple Russian oil facilities on November 2, including the Samara Linear Production-Dispatch Station, one of Europe's largest oil transport hubs. The strike on the Transneft-operated facility caused large plumes of smoke and fire, marking the fifth attack on the site since October 2. Other targets included the Rosneft-owned Novokuybyshevsk refinery and the Kstovo refinery in the Nizhny Novgorod and Volga regions, as well as the Kamensky plant in the Rostov region.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy defended the resumption of these strikes as a necessary response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. He stated that Ukraine would continue targeting refineries unless Russia ceases its energy attacks or the United States provides Patriot missiles for Ukrainian defense. Ukrainian officials denied ever agreeing to a 30-day suspension of attacks previously proposed by Jared Kushner.
The escalation follows efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to broker an energy ceasefire with Russian President Vladimir Putin to lower global diesel costs. While the Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted 212 drones across 17 regions, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak confirmed that attacks on oil-processing facilities have resumed after a brief lull.
