Oil refinery, fuel depots, air defense systems hit in large-scale Ukrainian strikes across Russia and occupied territories, General Staff confirms
The Kyiv Independent • • world
Key Points:
- Ukraine’s Defense Forces conducted coordinated strikes on May 8 targeting strategic Russian military and energy infrastructure, including the Yaroslavl Oil Refinery in Russia and facilities in occupied Ukrainian territories.
- The attack on the Yaroslavl Oil Refinery, a major facility with a capacity of over 15 million tons annually, caused a fire, with damage still being assessed; this refinery is crucial for producing fuels used in Russian military logistics.
- Ukrainian drones also struck a drone storage facility and the Southern Russia Air Navigation branch in Rostov-on-Don, leading to temporary suspension of air traffic operations and flight disruptions at 13 airports in southern Russia.
- Additional strikes targeted oil depots, fuel storage, repair units, communication hubs, and air defense systems in occupied Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and Crimea, damaging Russian military assets.
- President Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine’s long-range strikes are part of sustained pressure on Russia to end its war, highlighting the importance of targeting infrastructure that finances Russia’s military efforts.
