Ukrainian Drones Hit Russia's Largest Refinery in Siberian Omsk

Russia's Largest Refinery Hit

According to MDR, the Omsk refinery is the largest in all of Russia, with a processing capacity of more than 20 million tons per year. According to preliminary information, a facility with an annual processing capacity of 8.4 million tons was hit in the attack. Because of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries, fuel has become scarce in most Russian regions, with gas pumps dispensing only limited amounts.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian air defenses shot down a total of 613 Ukrainian drones overnight over various Russian regions, of which 519 were intercepted. According to the ministry, Ukraine used a total of 625 drones for the attacks. According to regional governor Alexander Drozdenko, 56 drones were shot down in Leningrad Oblast.

Air Defenses and Drone Alerts in Other Regions

According to the independent internet portal "Astra," there was also a renewed attack on the refinery in Yaroslavl, north of Moscow. In the Kaluga region, about 190 kilometers south of the capital, an industrial site caught fire following a drone impact. In the Novosibirsk region, more than 3,000 kilometers from Ukraine, a drone alert was issued for the first time ever; authorities urged the population to stay home and seek shelter, and airport operations were temporarily suspended.

In parallel, the Ukrainian capital Kyiv reported heavy Russian attacks. The local military administration stated: "The enemy is attacking with ballistic missiles." According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian attacks on Kyiv alone killed eleven people in one night, with about 60 others injured; Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said rescue workers had evacuated 15 people from a partially collapsed building.

Russian Attacks on Kyiv

Zelenskyy addressed international partners in sharp words: "Every delay in delivering missiles for our air defense and for the Patriot systems costs lives and encourages Russia to continue the war," he declared. On Facebook he wrote that Russia wants to "cause even more destruction and kill people."

NATO Summit: 140 Billion Euros for Ukraine

On the sidelines of the NATO summit planned for the coming days, U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to sources from Berlin. The German government assumes that the summit will adopt financial commitments for the next two years of at least 140 billion euros for Ukraine. According to a German government representative, the amount consists of the EU's 90-billion-euro loan and bilateral aid; the draft summit declaration includes 70 billion euros for 2026 and at least 70 billion euros for 2027.

Debate Over China's Role

FDP member of the Bundestag Peter Hardt told the Funke Mediengruppe with reference to China: "China plays a significant role in Russia's ability to continue its war of aggression." A clear NATO position on this issue is necessary: "Whoever supports Moscow's military base bears shared responsibility for prolonging this war. That is why NATO must speak plainly here." Hardt also stressed that openly naming this reality is "not an escalation step, but an expression of strategic honesty."

The Ukrainian side had announced drone attacks on targets more than 3,000 kilometers away in June under President Zelenskyy. For several weeks, Ukraine has systematically been attacking Russian refineries with long-range drones. The government in Kyiv has been defending itself against the Russian invasion since February 2022, according to its own statements.