Ukraine

Four industry sources reported on Wednesday that Kazakhstan agreed to provide 50,000 metric tonnes?of fuel to Russia as humanitarian assistance in July and August. Russia has been stricken by fuel shortages, long queues and soaring gasoline and diesel prices over the last few weeks, as Ukraine has attacked Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries, to undermine Moscow's funding for war efforts. Sources in the industry have said earlier that Russia began importing gasoline from India. In summer, the?Russians consume at least 110,000 tonnes of gasoline per day. Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine is trying to create discord among the Russians....

Two industry sources confirmed on Wednesday that Russia began importing gasoline by sea from India in an effort to reduce fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian attacks against its energy infrastructure. Fuel shortages have been felt in all 11 time zones of Russia, with long queues and record gasoline prices. The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that Russia is in contact with other nations and discussing the importation of fuel at reasonable prices. The Indian oil ministry and the Russian energy ministry have not responded to requests for comment. A source in the industry said that at least 60,000 tons of gasoline...

Ukraine has hit a Russian refinery in Ufa for the second consecutive time, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said on Wednesday. Kyiv is intensifying its strikes in Russia. "Our plan to impose Ukrainian long-range sanction is being implemented every day," Zelenskiy said, referring the Ukrainian attacks deep within Russian territory. "This is a completely just response to everything Russia does against us." Zelenskiy reported that a strike was also carried out on a Russian military-industrial complex he described as "strategic", located in the Penza area, which he claimed made components for missile weapons used by Moscow to attack Ukraine....

NORSI, Russia’s fourth largest oil refinery, and the second largest gasoline producer, suspended operations after an?Ukrainian?drone attack on Wednesday. This move is likely to worsen fuel shortages across the country, according to?two sources in industry? on Thursday. Ukraine has said that its campaign of drone strikes against Russian energy installations is aimed at reducing a major source of funding for war and bringing the conflict closer to Russians. The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has stated that such attacks on civil infrastructure are meant to create a rift among the populace. Sources said that the attack at NORSI damaged CDU-5,...

Rumen Radev, Bulgaria's Prime Minister, said that the country will veto the latest European Union sanctions package against Russia. This is because they may negatively impact its economy. Also, because their government does not agree with the sanctions against a Russian Bishop. The EU's sanctions list was expanded on Monday by adding a total of?34 people and 47 entities that are linked to Russia’s military and industrial complex. It also includes a shadow fleet?of?oil-and-gas tankers?and others who have been involved in political interference. This includes a Russian Orthodox bishop. Radev said that the operation of Lukoil, the Russian oil company,...

Kommersant reported that the Russian government had authorized a few oil refineries to produce fuels at lower environmental standards for the domestic market. This is because the country has been experiencing fuel supply disruptions. According to data collected by, media reports and social media posts have indicated that there are supply disruptions in Russia in a dozen different regions. Only two regions of Siberia, besides the Russian-held Crimea have formally?confirmed these disruptions. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak requested fuel market forecasts in order to avoid problems with fuel distribution and meet domestic demand. Ukraine has been targeting Russian...

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Thursday that would provide 'aid to Ukraine' and impose new Russian sanctions. This is the latest indication that Republicans are willing defy their party leaders and push back against President Donald Trump. The House passed the Ukraine Support Act 226-195. It had been pending for months. A few Republicans signed a petition with Democrats to force a vote. On Thursday, Democrats and 18 Republicans joined forces with one independent who usually votes along side them to pass the bill. This was the latest indication of a rift in the nearly unanimous support that...

The Russian President Vladimir Putin will host his fifth conference on wartime economics in St. Petersburg. His government is struggling to find a growth strategy, as the?Ukrainian attacks on the economy are hitting the economy. Businesses also see no end to this war. The $3 trillion economy of Russia, which is heavily dependent on commodities, shrank to 0.2% growth in the first quarter 2026 from 4.9% in 2024. Officials blamed high interest rates, Western sanctions and a strong ruble. The growth rate is expected to be a modest 0.4% in 2018. The Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries, fertiliser factories...

Authorities in the southern regions Rostov-Krasnodar reported that Ukrainian drones had struck a tanker overnight at Taganrog, a Russian port. They also reportedly hit an oil depot?in?Armavir. Yury Slyusar, Governor of the Rostov Region, said via Telegram that the fires in Taganrog's port and on the tanker had been put out. No oil spillage was reported. He said that two people were injured. Svetlana kambulova, the mayor of the?city, announced that a local emergency state, which was introduced on May 27th, had been prolonged. The Russian Defence Ministry announced that its forces?had?downed 127 drones over night. Authorities in Armavir in...

Data analysis revealed on Friday that the production of diesel in Russia dropped?by about 10% in 'May. This was on top of a %10% monthly drop in April, as Ukrainian drones attacked refineries, forcing them to cut back or stop their output. Kyiv is targeting Russia's energy infrastructure in order to reduce the amount of money that Moscow can earn from oil and gas, which it could use to fund its war against Ukraine. The Russian government has been focusing on exporting diesel at a high price. However, this is the time of year when farmers are in high demand....

EU foreign ministers warned on Thursday that Russia would not be able to choose who represented Europe in any future talks with Moscow about Ukraine. The bloc's chief of foreign policy also said that Moscow showed no real interest for peace. The?ministers? met informally on Cyprus to discuss their strategy towards Russia, as Kyiv calls for greater European involvement in order to end the conflict while the U.S. is focused on the Iran crisis. The Kremlin told the RIA News Agency on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was open to talks with Europe. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has...

According to official sources, almost all of the major oil refineries in central Russia have been forced to reduce or halt their fuel production due to recent drone attacks by Ukraine. Moscow has already banned gasoline exports from April to the end of July. Refineries which have stopped operations or are partially stopped, together, produce more than 83 million tons of?product per year. This is approximately 238,000 tons a day. According to anonymous sources and data, this represents around a quarter of Russia's entire refining capacity. Over 30% of Russia's gasoline is produced by refineries, and around 25% by diesel....

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the President of X, wrote Sunday that Ukraine had hit a?oil facility?in Russia's Yaroslavl region and a?chemical plant?Azot?in the Tula region?overnight. Zelenskiy stated that the Azot facility was crucial for Russia's explosives manufacturing, and that attacks on Russian military logistics were also conducted in parts of Ukraine occupied by Russia. Zelenskiy, who frequently refers to Ukrainian strikes against Russia as "long-range" sanctions, said that Ukraine was executing its plan for?long-range sanctioning Russia and the tasks assigned regarding mid-range attacks in response to Russia's refusal?to end this?"war". Mikhail Yevryaev said that a massive Ukrainian attack on the region had...

Local authorities said that Ukrainian drones had hit a 'historic museum' in Sevastopol, in Russia-annexed Crimea. They also reduced the number nighttime trains as a result of the intensifying air strikes. The museum commemorates 1853-1856 Crimea War, which was fought between the Russian Empire (including the Ottoman Empire) and a coalition. In that war, Russia lost. Mikhail Razvozhayev - Sevastopol’s Russian-installed Governor – said via Telegram that the roof of the museum was on fire. He didn't provide any further details on the damage, or if there were casualties. "The enemy will be punished for this sacrilege!" Razvozhayev wrote in...

NATO fighter jets shot down on Monday a 'drone' that entered Latvian airspace from Russia, according to the Baltic nation's military. This is the latest incident in a long line of security incidents near Europe's eastern borders. The origin of the drone was not immediately known. In recent months, Ukraine has increased its long-ranged drone attacks against Russia, including the Baltic Sea region, where several Ukrainian military aircraft have entered the airspace of Finland and Latvia. In a social media post, the Latvian army stated that "Allied fighter 'jets successfully shot down a drone which was flying into Latvian Airspace!"...

The presence of military drones in the airspaces of Finland, Estonia Latvia and Lithuania is raising concerns that the conflict in Ukraine could spill over into NATO's northern border with Russia. Some of Ukraine's drones missed their targets, causing security warnings in neighbouring countries. In the case?Latvia it led to a collapse of government. Here is a timeline of recent drone incidents that have involved Finland and the Baltic States: Two Ukrainian military drones that strayed into Russia enter Estonia and Latvia on March 25. One drone crashes into a chimney near the Russian border at Estonia's Auvere Power Station,...

In a letter addressed to EU leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that a German proposal granting Ukraine "associate membership" of the European Union is "unfair",?because it would leave Kyiv with no voice within the bloc. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that Ukraine could participate in EU meetings, without voting. He said this would be a good interim step towards full membership. Zelenskiy responded in his letter?sent late Friday and reviewed by, stating that the removal of Hungarian prime minister?Viktor Orban, who was a staunch enemy of Ukraine's EU membership, following the elections last month created the opportunity to make...

A spokesperson for the European Commission said that it had proposed a nine month derogation on dealings with a Chinese semiconductor company listed in its 20th set of sanctions against Russia. The spokesperson stated that the company, Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic will remain on?European Union sanctions list, but the temporary reprieve?will allow automakers?to find alternative chip suppliers and?avoid?a "severe interruption"?. The EU will need to agree 'unanimously' on the proposed measure for it to come into effect. European automakers have become more dependent on Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic in order to replace products that were previously listed as being made by Chinese...

The head of the State 'Fund' said on Thursday that Ukraine plans to repair the large thermal power plant owned by the state near Kyiv, after Russian airstrikes, and prepare the?parent company Centrenergo for privatisation in the next year. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine 2022, it has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's power system with drone and missile strikes, striking both power plants that deliver electricity to customers and substations. Officials in Ukraine have confirmed that up to 80% thermal generation capacity has been lost. Dmytro Natalukha is the chairman of the State Property Fund which manages the state assets of...

On Wednesday, the Kremlin called Lithuania's top diplomat's remarks "bordering on insanity", after he said that NATO must?show Moscow they are capable of penetrating Russia's exclave Kaliningrad. Kaliningrad is an exclave on the Baltic Sea coast that lies between NATO member Lithuania and Poland. It is home to around 1,000,000 people and is heavily military, as it serves as the headquarters for Russia's Baltic Fleet. Budrys' country, which is a staunchly allied ally of Ukraine in its fight against Russia, stated in an interview published by the Neue Zurcher Zeitung on Monday that "we?have to prove the Russians we are...

The European Commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ukraine regarding a macro-financial?assistance?programme. This paves way for a disbursement of 3.2 billion euros in mid-June after it is ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament. The EU has a 90 billion euro scheme to finance Kyiv throughout 2026 and into 2027, as it fights Russia's invasion. "We have completed?our discussions with Ukraine regarding the memorandum?of understanding that underpins our macro financial?assistance?program, as part of the Ukraine Support Loan," European Economic Commissar Valdis Dombrovskis stated. He told reporters, "I signed the agreement this morning. Now it is up to the Ukrainian side...

As part of an important nuclear exercise, Russia showed footage on Wednesday of troops loading mobile launch systems 'Iskander M' with a nuclear warhead and then moving it undetected from the launch site. The Defence Ministry released a statement to the state media in which it said that its forces have "practiced" bringing their units to the highest level of combat readiness for the use of nuclear weaponry. The three-day military exercise that began on Tuesday is being held in Russia and Belarus. It comes as Russia is engaged in what it calls an "existential battle" with the West regarding...

Estonia's chief of foreign intelligence said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is limited in his options for a victory in Ukraine, as his military forces are unable to make significant progress on the battlefield and Western sanctions are eroding his resources. Kaupo Rosin is a leading'spy' on NATO’s eastern flank. He told us that Russia was losing more men in its?fifth full-scale year of war than they were recruiting. A general mobilisation, he said, would be unpopular and could undermine stability. "All these factors are creating a scenario where some people, including those at the highest levels in Russia, understand...

The National Crisis Management Centre of the Lithuanian government said that a suspected Ukrainian military drone crashed in Lithuania on Sunday. Reporters were told that the drone had not been detected upon its entry into Lithuania and it was not armed. The centre reported that the drone was found in the village of Samane. This is about 40 kilometers from the Latvian border and 55 kilometers from Belarus. Kyiv is yet to comment on this issue. Separately the 'Latvian Army' said that a drone alert had been issued Sunday morning along the border with Russia. NATO fighters from a Baltic...