Ukrainian drones hit Russian oil refinery in Siberia; Kyiv struck again by missiles
Ukrainian drones struck Russia's largest oil refinery in Omsk, Siberia, about 2,700 km from Ukrainian-held territory, in one of the longest-range attacks of the war. Meanwhile, Russian missiles and drones hit apartment buildings in Kyiv, killing at least 21 people.
Drone strike on Omsk refinery
Ukraine's military said its drones struck Russia's Omsk oil refinery, the country's largest, located deep in Siberia, in what would be one of the longest-range attacks of the war. Local Russian authorities confirmed the strike, which occurred on the eve of a crucial NATO summit. The attack caused a fire at the refinery. Omsk regional governor Vitaly Khotsenko said Ukraine had attacked the refinery and that Russian air defenses had destroyed most of the drones involved. He added there were no casualties and emergency services were working at the scene.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as an “important achievement” for Ukraine's armed forces, saying in his nightly address: “Siberia, too, is now within reach of Ukrainian precision strikes.” Ukrainian defense technology company Fire Point said its upgraded FP-1 drones carried out the attack and called it a record for strike drones “not only in Ukraine, but worldwide.”
Other Ukrainian strikes on Russia
Ukraine's military also hit Russia's Ust-Luga and Vysotsk ports, which handle oil exports on the Baltic Sea, as well as targets in the Kaluga and Yaroslavl regions, local governors said.
Russian strike on Kyiv
On Monday, Russia fired missiles and drones into apartment buildings in Kyiv for the second time in a week, killing at least 21 people. Rescuers were digging bodies from the rubble of a high-rise ripped open in the latest bombardment. Ukrainian authorities said the attack exposed a critical shortage of US-made interceptors. A previous massive attack on the capital days earlier killed at least 27.
NATO summit and talks
The attack came on the eve of a NATO summit in Turkey, where Donald Trump is due to hold talks with Zelenskyy in a renewed push for peace. The US president said on Monday that a resolution to the war was “getting closer than people realise.” Zelenskyy pleaded for NATO to boost Ukraine's air defense against Russia's ballistic missiles, saying: “It is simply absurd that in the modern world, production has still not been organised to the extent that is necessary to protect people from ballistic terror.” He also said Kyiv expected “decisions” on Ukrainian air defense at the Ankara summit. Earlier, NATO chief Mark Rutte said: “Allies and NATO partners must continue to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs.”
Ukraine hopes to sign major defense deals with at least seven NATO countries by the end of the year, according to a top official. Kyiv has signed “drone deals” with six countries in recent months.
Azerbaijan protest
Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said it had summoned Russia's ambassador to protest against what it said was a Russian drone strike on a fuel station belonging to state oil and gas company Socar in Ukraine's Mykolaiv region on Sunday. The ministry said other Socar-owned facilities in Ukraine had previously been damaged, calling the continuation of such incidents “deliberate.” No immediate response from Russia.
Polish military aid
Poland has provided €3.8 billion ($4.3 billion) in military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the Polish defence minister said, calling the amount “worth boasting about.” The announcement came as Poland's defence ministry began declassifying its military donations amid an ongoing diplomatic dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv over World War II-era massacres.
