Ukraine hit two oil tankers in Sea of Azov and several other oil amenities throughout Russia in drone assaults.
Printed On 9 Jul 2026
Ukraine has attacked a number of Russian oil amenities and set two tankers ablaze within the Sea of Azov, the newest in a sequence of strikes on Russian power websites which have brought about a gasoline disaster.
Drones hit oil depots within the Tver and Stavropol areas in a single day into Thursday.
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Within the Sea of Azov, Ukrainian drones set two oil tankers ablaze, in keeping with Rostov Governor Yury Slyusar, who mentioned one of many ships was nonetheless burning and the crews had been evacuated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned his defence forces additionally hit a reserve gasoline storage facility about 800km (500 miles) from the entrance line, and an oil-pumping station in Ufa practically 1,500km (930 miles) from Ukraine’s border.
He mentioned additionally they struck an oil-loading terminal within the Rostov area, about 200km (125 miles) from the entrance line. It was unclear if that was the identical strike described by Slyusar.
Kyiv’s assaults on Russian oil depots and refineries have triggered a gasoline disaster throughout Russia, forcing Moscow – one of many world’s prime oil producers – to ban quite a lot of exports.
Greater than 90 % of Russian areas have launched some type of rationing or reported shortages in petrol and diesel, in keeping with official statements and native media studies.
Zelenskyy described the strikes as a part of Kyiv’s marketing campaign of “long-range sanctions” carried out in response to Russian assaults and Moscow’s refusal to finish the battle.
“We have now lengthy proposed that Russia finish this battle, and every single day of delay ought to convey the sensation of battle to the place all of it started – to Russia,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence mentioned air defences downed 73 Ukrainian drones from late Wednesday till early Thursday.
Ukraine’s Air Power mentioned Russia fired 94 long-range strike drones and two ballistic missiles at Ukraine in a single day.
Whereas 72 drones had been jammed or intercepted, 19 drones and each missiles inflicted harm at 13 places, it mentioned.
Trump adjustments his tone
The assaults got here a day after United States President Donald Trump, assembly Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkiye, pledged to grant Ukraine a licence to fabricate the Patriot air defence system, a big shift in tone from their acrimonious White House encounter in February 2025.
When requested in regards to the Ukrainian strikes in Russia, Trump appeared to endorse the marketing campaign, stating, “It’s an escalation, however it’s additionally an escalation that may assist result in an finish.”
The Kremlin mentioned Ukrainian navy stress wouldn’t pressure it into concessions.
“We see sure misconceptions inside the White Home administration – that by escalating navy stress it could assist transfer to a peace settlement. That may be a mistaken view,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov instructed reporters.
“Additional escalation might delay the particular navy operation to some extent,” he mentioned, utilizing Russia’s most popular time period for the offensive.
He additionally threatened that Russia would reply by “creating a bigger safety zone” – a reference to seizing extra territory in japanese Ukraine.
