After two quiet weeks, the drones are back over Russia's oil refineries.
Ukraine hit the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery in Russia's Samara region overnight into Friday, 30 October. It was the first Ukrainian strike on a Russian refinery in about two weeks, ending an informal pause that followed heavy pressure from the Trump administration.
Here's what we know:
The refinery belongs to state-controlled Rosneft. It processes about 8.8 million tonnes of crude a year and sits roughly 900 km from the Ukrainian border.
Ukrainian drone maker Fire Point said its FP-1 long-range drones made several hits, including on a diesel hydrotreating unit. Videos shared by residents showed big fires and black smoke over the city.
🇷🇺 Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said three refineries and one gas-chemical complex were targeted overnight, with minor damage at one site. "We had a brief pause, but today, attacks on refineries have resumed," he said.
⚠️ Samara Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said two people died while dealing with the aftermath of the attack.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 862 drones flew toward the Moscow region from Thursday evening, with most shot down.
Why it matters:
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Ukrainian units had quietly stopped hitting refineries after Washington pushed for a halt. President Trump has blamed the strikes for higher fuel prices, a major issue for American voters ahead of the 3 November midterm elections. The pause had been expected to last until after the vote.
President Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces "tried to be a little more careful during these days" but were never ordered to stop. He also said Russia kept attacking Ukraine's energy system throughout.
Kyiv says its refinery campaign aims to cut fuel supplies to Russia's army and the oil money that pays for the war.
Was Ukraine right to resume the strikes despite pressure from Washington?
#Ukraine #Russia #Zelenskyy #Trump #OilRefinery
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