Putin accuses Kyiv of having "let the genie out of the bottle" – one killed in attack in Samara

In the Samara region, an additional person was killed according to local authorities when an oil refinery and a logistics center of online retailer Ozon were attacked. Previously, reports had already mentioned injuries and damage to industrial facilities. Ozon is one of the largest Russian e-commerce providers; the extent of the destruction to the warehouse and sorting buildings initially remained unclear.

Reactions from the West

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who joined by video, spoke of a "wave of terror" and accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure. Russian officials had recently emphasized repeatedly that attacks on energy facilities endanger the population's supply – a portrayal that is difficult to verify independently.

Parallel to Putin's statements, the diplomatic tone between Moscow and Western capitals sharpened. French President Emmanuel Macron had announced a new sanctions package against Russia the day before; Putin responded with sharp criticism of Paris and pointed to alleged French weapons deliveries to Ukraine. The Élysée Palace said only that it would not be intimidated by threats.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had emphasized in his evening address that attacks on Russian refineries were a legitimate means of weakening the financing of the Russian military. "Every liter of fuel that is not produced is missing from the Russian army," he said. Moscow classifies such attacks as terrorism; Kyiv regards them as part of its war strategy.

In Germany, CDU foreign policy politician Johann Wadephul once again called for tougher measures against Moscow and spoke out in favor of expanding sanctions. At the same time, he warned of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. The German government has not officially commented on the recent incidents in Samara so far.

Possible consequences for energy supply

Russian air defense systems reported the downing of several Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod and Kursk regions during the night following his remarks. These claims cannot be independently verified. Videos circulated on Russian Telegram channels show clouds of smoke over industrial facilities and damaged administrative buildings.

Putin announced that the Russian response would be "asymmetrical but tangible," without naming concrete measures. Observers interpret this as an indication of possible attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the coming winter. Russia has repeatedly targeted substations and thermal power plants in Ukraine in recent months.

Outlook on further sanctions

The EU Commission is preparing a twelfth sanctions package according to its own statements, which is to include export bans on certain high-tech components, among other things. A spokeswoman stressed that the situation is being observed "with great concern." Whether the recent attacks will affect the timetable remained open.

International energy analysts already see measurable effects from the repeated hits on Russian refineries: gasoline production has fallen by several percent according to estimates, and domestic prices have risen. Russia continues to export fuel, albeit with rising logistics and insurance costs.