Ukrainian drones hit Russian oil facilities and tankers

Ukraine’s strikes on oil refineries and other infrastructure across Russia have triggered a widespread fuel crisis with petrol shortages and fuel rationing reported in multiple regions and drivers waiting for hours to fill their tanks.

Early on Thursday, a Ukrainian drone strike triggered a fire at an oil depot in the city of Tver in western Russia, according to acting regional governor Vitaly Korolyov.

And in the southern region of Stavropol, governor Vladimir Vladimirov said oil reservoirs had been set alight by Ukrainian drones in Vyazniki.

He said the authorities ordered the evacuation of residents of several apartment buildings near the facility as the fire expanded.

In the Sea of Azov, Ukrainian drones set two oil tankers ablaze, according to Rostov governor Yuri Slusar, who said that one of the ships was still burning and the crews were evacuated.

The attack was the latest in a series of strikes on oil tankers in the area in recent days, part of Ukraine efforts to cut fuel supplies to Russia-occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that in addition to strikes on oil facilities in Stavropol and Tver, Ukrainian defence forces also hit a reserve fuel storage facility about 500 miles from the front line, and an oil-pumping station in Ufa nearly 930 miles from Ukraine’s border.

He said they also struck an oil-loading terminal in the Rostov region about 125 miles from the front line, but it was not clear if that was the same strike described by Mr Slusar.

Mr Zelensky described the strikes as part of Kyiv’s campaign of “long-range sanctions” carried out in response to Russian attacks and Moscow’s refusal to end the war.

“We have long proposed that Russia end this war, and every day of delay should bring the feeling of war to where it all began – to Russia,” Mr Zelensky said.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said that air defences downed 73 Ukrainian drones from late Wednesday until early Thursday.

Ukraine’s air force said that Russia fired 94 long-range strike drones and two ballistic missiles at Ukraine last night.

While 72 drones were jammed or intercepted, 19 drones and both missiles inflicted damage at 13 locations, it said.

During Wednesday’s meeting with Mr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Turkey, Mr Trump said the US will give Ukraine a licence to make Patriot air defence systems to counter missile attacks from Russia, a huge coup for Kyiv which has long requested the technology.

The tone of their meeting was markedly different from an earlier, acrimonious encounter at the White House in February 2025 when Mr Trump berated Mr Zelensky.

On Wednesday, he praised the Ukrainian leader’s willingness to reach a deal to end the war, saying he has “done an amazing job” and “been very effective”.