Late Saturday night, Ukrainian drones targeted a major oil refinery in northwestern Russia, sparking a fire, as confirmed by officials from both Ukraine and Russia.
Newsweek contacted the foreign ministries of both Ukraine and Russia for their reactions on Sunday through email.
Why This Incident Is Significant
In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a comprehensive invasion of Ukraine, following Crimea’s annexation in 2014. Since then, Moscow has seized various regions in Ukraine, while Ukraine and NATO nations are working together to maintain Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The ongoing conflict, lasting over three years, has driven millions from their homes and resulted in the tragic loss of numerous lives, both among civilians and military personnel.
Recently, European leaders expressed concern when Poland announced that its forces had shot down several Russian drones entering its airspace on Wednesday, marking the first direct military engagement involving a NATO country since the invasion.
As tensions continued to rise, military exercises by Moscow and Belarus have put neighboring countries on high alert. Poland has shut its border with Belarus, a close ally of Russia, and NATO has activated the “Eastern Sentry” framework to strengthen defense in Eastern Europe, as stated by Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Friday.
Key Information
Drones have become a crucial factor in this conflict, with Ukraine intensifying its attacks on Russian energy facilities, particularly oil infrastructure that fortifies Moscow’s military efforts.
Former President Donald Trump criticized NATO members buying Russian oil in a post on Truth Social on Saturday, declaring, “I am prepared to impose major sanctions on Russia once all NATO nations agree and start doing the same thing, and when all NATO nations stop purchasing oil from Russia.”
Despite this, some NATO countries, including Turkey, Hungary, and Slovakia, continue to buy oil from Russia.
During the same night, over 360 drones launched attacks on an oil refinery in northwestern Russia, as categorized by Reuters. The Kirishi refinery is significant, accounting for over 6% of Russia’s total crude oil production, roughly 17.7 million metric tons annually, according to the Associated Press. This facility lies about 800 miles from Ukraine’s border and had been previously attacked in March.
The General Staff of Ukraine shared an image of the ongoing fire on social media, noting in Ukrainian that “the refinery stands as one of the largest oil processing facilities within the Russian Federation, capable of generating around 80 types of petroleum products.”
Authorities have not reported any injuries, while Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko mentioned that three drones were intercepted and the fire was brought under control, according to reports by the AP.
Reactions and Statements
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte remarked on Friday: “This behavior is irresponsible and unacceptable. We cannot allow Russian drones to breach allied airspace.”
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated on X: “During the previous night, Polish airspace was violated 19 times by drones produced in Russia. We believe they were not lost but intentionally targeted.”
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense: “We had no planned targets within Poland’s territory… however, we are open to discussions with Poland’s Ministry of Defense about this issue.”
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu said on X: “The Romanian Air Force intercepted a Russian drone that penetrated our airspace near the Danube. Romania denounces Russia’s actions and is taking steps to ensure our sovereignty and security.”
Future Projections
The recent attacks on Russian oil refineries have triggered a nationwide fuel shortage in the country, leading to a temporary suspension of gas exports.
The military exercises involving Russia and Belarus are scheduled to continue until September 16.
