Ukraine carried out its biggest drone strike in months, hitting Russia’s largest oil terminal and igniting two tankers, which led to a temporary halt in crude shipments on Saturday, France 24 reported.
The terminal, operated by Russian oil firm Bashneft, lies roughly 1,400 kilometres away from the front line.
Radiy Khabirov, head of Russia’s Bashkortostan region, said as reported by France 24, one drone struck the plant while another was shot down. “There were no casualties or injuries. The production site sustained minor damage, and a fire broke out, which is currently being extinguished,” he wrote on Telegram.
Meanwhile, a New York Post report said that one of the tankers that caught fire had the ability to carry up to 700,000 barrels of oil. The fires were later put out, but it remains unclear if loading operations have resumed.
Footage shared on social media seemed to capture a drone gliding toward the terminal before detonating in a fiery blast, releasing a thick plume of smoke into the air.
The strike is part of Ukraine’s wider campaign targeting Russian refineries to disrupt Moscow’s war funding. Over the summer, a series of such attacks reduced refining capacity at key plants and pushed up fuel prices.
The Bashneft Ufa refinery, described by the Kremlin in 2016 as “one of the largest in the country,” produces over 150 different petroleum products, France 24 reported.
US President Donald Trump urged NATO allies on Saturday to stop buying Russian oil, calling it necessary to pressure Moscow to end the conflict. Despite sanctions, Turkey, Hungary and Slovakia continue to import Russian oil.
Trump posted on his social media site that NATO’S commitment to winning the war “has been far less than 100%” and the purchase of Russian oil by some members of the alliance is “shocking.” As if speaking with NATO members, he said: “It greatly weakens your negotiating position, and bargaining power, over Russia.”
Since 2023, NATO member Turkey has been the third largest buyer of Russian oil, after China and India. according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Other members of the 32-state alliance involved in purchasing Russian oil include Hungary and Slovakia. It’s unclear whether Trump would want to directly confront Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. That leaves uncertain whether the threats might actually lead to new tariffs or a ban on Russian oil purchases.
Ukraine, Russia, oil terminal, drone operation, Bashneft
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