Moscow (Russia) - After the United States granted concessions allowing Russia to sell its oil, Ukraine, angered by the move, launched attacks on Russian oil refineries.
In the early hours of 18 April, Ukraine carried out drone strikes on several major oil refineries and energy facilities across Russia, triggering fires at multiple locations and causing widespread alarm.
Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Drone Forces, stated on Telegram that the attacks targeted the Novokuybyshevsk and Syzran oil refineries in Russia's Samara region. In addition, strikes were carried out on the Tikhoretsk oil facility in the Krasnodar region, the port of Vysotsk on the Baltic Sea, and an oil facility in Sevastopol in Crimea, which is under Russian control.
Russia's Defence Ministry has not directly confirmed these attacks; however, it claimed that its air defence systems shot down 258 Ukrainian drones overnight.
The United States had extended concessions allowing Russia to continue selling oil via maritime routes despite sanctions. Ukraine strongly reacted to this decision. Brovdi termed it "cynicism," stating that such decisions ultimately cost the lives of Ukrainian citizens.