Ukrainian President Zelensky stated on Thursday that Ukraine had carried out attacks on more oil facilities within Russian territory during the night, with ongoing military operations aimed at weakening Russia’s wartime economy and putting pressure on the Kremlin.
These successive strikes have led to fuel shortages in Russia, causing panic among the population. Meanwhile, facing over four years of continuous full-scale invasion by Russian forces, Ukrainians are enduring frequent and intense attacks, with the Ukrainian military’s air defense systems proving inadequate in the face of these assaults.
Following the previous day’s missile and drone attacks by Russia that resulted in 17 deaths in Ukraine, Kyiv held official mourning day activities on Thursday. This latest attack has prompted Ukraine and its allies to urgently seek new supplies of air defense equipment.
The United Nations office in Kyiv stated on Wednesday that in the first half of this year, Ukraine witnessed 1,396 civilian deaths and 7,978 injuries. The organization noted that this figure represents a 37% increase compared to the same period last year, attributing the rise to the escalation of Russian long-range aerial attacks.
Zelensky mentioned holding talks with senior officials to discuss expediting the development of Ukraine’s own ballistic missile capabilities. He wrote on social media, “Developing independent ballistic missile capabilities and building a new missile defense system is a mission that only a few countries in the world can achieve, and Ukraine possesses that capability.”
Zelensky stated that overcoming critical challenges such as procuring key components, engaging in technical cooperation with partner countries, and selecting locations for weapons production are priorities for the project, with expectations of results within the next two years.
On social media, Zelensky revealed that the Ukrainian military targeted an oil refinery in the Bashkortostan region of Russia, over 1,300 kilometers from the front line; in addition, another refinery in the Yaroslavl region, about 700 kilometers from the border, was also attacked.
Governor Mikhail Yevrayev of Yaroslavl confirmed the attacks on the refineries, reporting on Telegram that drones hit the oil tanks at the facility, causing a fire. He added that three private residences caught fire and several residential buildings were damaged.
Zelensky mentioned that Ukrainian forces struck two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea along with vessels from a “shadow fleet” used by Russia to evade Western restrictions on its oil exports, without disclosing specific details.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported shooting down 605 Ukrainian drones that flew over its territory during the night.
Authorities reported that various regions of Ukraine were targeted by drone and glide bomb attacks at night, resulting in at least 3 civilian deaths and 22 injuries. Meanwhile, countries assisting Ukraine in defending against the invasion are striving to secure additional critical air defense equipment to support ongoing operations.
In recent weeks, Russian forces have intensified their fierce attacks on Ukraine using ballistic missiles. Kyiv officials noted that only American-made Patriots air defense systems can intercept these missiles. However, due to the demands of the situation in Iran, stocks of intercepting missiles have been significantly depleted. Exploiting this vulnerability, Russia has increased its bombardment of Ukrainian air defense systems, posing greater challenges to Ukraine.
Zelensky later posted on social media Wednesday night, “We are doing our utmost to cooperate with all partners who can help provide intercepting missiles to counter such insane attacks by Russia targeting life, civilians, and civilian facilities.”
He mentioned discussions with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb on urgently purchasing intercepting missiles from existing inventories. Zelensky stated that he had coordinated actions with Rutte regarding countries possessing missile defense and aid capabilities.
Rutte mentioned on the X social platform that he was discussing with allies “how to continue providing urgently needed air defense systems to Ukraine.”
Western analysts and officials have pointed out that Russia seems determined to exploit its absolute superiority in forces, armor, and weapon numbers to wear down Ukraine. Russian President Putin believes time is on his side and Western support will eventually wane, leading to the collapse of Ukrainian resistance under pressure.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 4 missiles and 101 long-range attack drones during the night, with air defense units intercepting or disrupting 66 drones.
In Balakliia, northeast Kharkiv region of Ukraine, 3 people were killed, confirmed by military administrator Vitalii Karabanov.
According to the Ukrainian National Police, in the nearby Sumy region, Russian glide bombs injured 12 people. Military administrator Oleh Hryhorov stated that local apartment buildings and infrastructure were damaged, with hundreds of windows shattered.
In the southern Kherson region of Ukraine, a Russian drone hit a bus carrying farm workers, injuring 6; this incident was confirmed by local authorities.
Furthermore, in the southeastern city of Zaporizhia, a Russian drone struck a residential area, causing injuries to 4 individuals, as reported by regional administrator Ivan Fedorov.