Zelenskyj orders doubled strikes on Russian oil refineries
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj announced a sharp escalation in strikes against Russian oil refineries, planning to double attacks on the sector in response to an intensifying Russian campaign...
- The announcement from Kyiv follows what Ukrainian authorities describe as a deliberate Russian strategy to target critical civilian infrastructure, transport routes, and medical facilities.
- In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a warning advising all foreign nationals and diplomatic personnel to leave Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj announced a sharp escalation in strikes against Russian oil refineries, planning to double attacks on the sector in response to an intensifying Russian campaign to force civilians out of Kyiv and other urban centers.
The announcement from Kyiv follows what Ukrainian authorities describe as a deliberate Russian strategy to target critical civilian infrastructure, transport routes, and medical facilities. Zelenskyj stated that recovered documentation confirms Russian forces have explicit orders to strike roads, schools, and hospitals to depopulate the capital and surrounding regions. The Ukrainian president also noted his country is increasingly reliant on combat aircraft to intercept jet-driven drones and needs more 20 millimeter-ammunition to sustain defensive operations along the front line.
Russian Foreign Ministry Advises Foreigners to Leave Kyiv
In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a warning advising all foreign nationals and diplomatic personnel to leave Kyiv. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blamed Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian civilian infrastructure and oil installations for triggering what the Kremlin terms systematic retaliatory actions. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that its armed forces intend to execute sweeping, large-scale attacks across the Ukrainian capital and other regions in direct response to Kyiv’s military tactics.
Strikes Sever Vital Dnipro Bridges and Hit Residential Areas
The military escalation has heavily impacted transportation networks inside the Ukrainian capital. For three consecutive days, Russian strikes targeted key transit infrastructure, including the Pivnichnyi Bridge—also referred to as the North Bridge—which spans the Dnipro River and serves as a vital logistics route for the city. Three of Kyiv’s six main road bridges over the river are now fully or partially closed, while separate strikes have damaged apartment blocks, gas stations, and data centers. In Kharkiv to the northeast, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed that Russian glide bombs and drone strikes killed five people and injured over forty, while a separate merchant shipping strike in Odesa killed a sailor.
Moldova Reports Cross-Border Weapon Detonations
The conflict’s widening footprint touched neighboring territory when five separate Russian weapons—comprising both missiles and drones—crossed into Moldovan airspace and exploded on the ground. Moldovan Prime Minister Maia Sandu condemned the breach on social media, writing that Moscow continues to endanger lives across Europe and must be stopped. Meanwhile, local authorities in the Russian border region of Belgorod reported one civilian killed, and officials in Kaluga west of Moscow confirmed that an overnight strike destroyed an apartment block and injured multiple residents.
Ukraine Prepares Ballistic Missile Deployment for Autumn
Amid the intensified exchange of long-range strikes, Ukrainian leadership is looking toward upcoming capability developments to sustain pressure on occupying forces. President Zelenskyj expects Ukraine’s domestically manufactured FP-9 ballistic missile to become operational during the autumn months. Alongside ongoing defensive stabilization along the Donetsk front line, military planners anticipate that expanded domestic missile production and doubled refinery strikes will shape the trajectory of the conflict as both sides brace for further large-scale air operations.