A tank at Russia's Kirishi oil refinery sustained damage during a significant Ukrainian drone attack, marking increased tensions in the north-western Leningrad region. The governor of the region confirmed that debris from the attack had compromised the external structure of one of the tanks. However, The Guardian has not independently verified this report, leaving some details unclear.
In eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, Russian strikes claimed at least 11 lives and wounded 30 others. These assaults targeted various facilities across multiple regions, including Odesa and Poltava. Russia unleashed a formidable barrage of nearly 70 cruise and ballistic missiles alongside almost 200 attack drones in these offensive actions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the alarming escalation by calling for a truce encompassing air and sea areas. He emphasized the need for Russia to halt its aggressive maneuvers, stating,
"The first steps to establishing real peace should be forcing the sole source of this war, Russia, to stop such attacks," – Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy is also preparing to travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, seeking diplomatic support amid the crisis.
Compounding Ukraine’s challenges, US aerospace company Maxar Technologies recently disabled Ukraine's access to its satellite imagery following a request from the Trump administration. This move followed the administration's decision to cease sharing intelligence with Kyiv, which had previously provided advance warnings of Russian attacks.
In a troubling sequence of events, Russia launched extensive ballistic missile and drone strikes across Ukraine a day after the US stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv. The overnight Russian attacks on Dobropillia left five children among the 30 injured.
In an additional blow, at least three people were killed and seven wounded in a separate drone attack on the Kharkiv region overnight, as confirmed by Ukraine’s interior ministry.
The geopolitical landscape further complicated as Donald Trump made statements regarding the ongoing conflict. He suggested,
"I think he wants to get it [the war] stopped and settled and I think he’s hitting them harder than he’s been hitting them and I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now," – Donald Trump.
These comments have sparked debate over their implications on US foreign policy and its effects on the Ukraine crisis.
Furthermore, Trump alluded to potential economic measures against Russia, stating,
"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," – Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the refinery incident, Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the Leningrad region, remarked,
"Air defences shot down one drone on approach, the other was destroyed over the territory of the enterprise," – Alexander Drozdenko.
He further detailed the damage,
"When the debris fell, the external structure of one of the tanks was damaged," – Alexander Drozdenko.
The region remains on high alert as tensions between Ukraine and Russia show no signs of abating.