Ukraine announced on Saturday that its forces had targeted a Russian oil refinery in the Ryazan region, near Moscow, in what Kyiv described as a strategic effort to reduce Russia’s capacity to launch missile and bomb strikes. The attack comes just a day after deadly Russian shelling hit Kyiv, leaving at least seven civilians dead.
The Ukrainian army shared on social media that the strike on the Ryazan refinery was part of ongoing operations against Russian military infrastructure. Ukraine has previously conducted multiple drone and missile attacks within Russian territory since the Kremlin’s invasion began in 2022.
Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov reported that Russian air defenses intercepted 25 Ukrainian drones over the region overnight. Despite the interceptions, falling debris caused a fire at one enterprise. Thankfully, Malkov confirmed that there were no casualties.
The refinery strike is part of a broader escalation on both sides. In Kyiv, Russian missile attacks on November 14 struck residential buildings, killing seven civilians. Among the victims was an elderly woman who succumbed to her injuries in hospital, along with a couple in their 70s and a 62-year-old resident, according to Tymur Tkachenko of Kyiv’s city administration.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region, a Russian drone wounded five people, one seriously, in the city of Nikopol. Nikopol lies along the Dnipro River, forming part of the frontline with Russian-occupied territory. On the opposite bank, Moscow-installed official Yevgeny Balitsky reported that a Ukrainian drone had damaged power lines, causing outages affecting approximately 44,000 subscribers.
These incidents underscore the intensifying cross-border operations and ongoing civilian toll in the conflict. Analysts note that Ukraine’s targeting of Russian infrastructure near Moscow reflects a shift toward striking strategic military and energy sites to limit Russia’s offensive capabilities.
As both sides continue attacks, the situation remains volatile, with civilian populations on both sides increasingly at risk. The conflict shows no immediate signs of de-escalation, highlighting the enduring human and infrastructural cost of the war.
