A Ukrainian drone strike set fire to Russia’s Kirishi oil refinery, the country’s second-largest, on Monday, hours before Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were scheduled to meet for U.S.-mediated peace talks. The attack occurred as both sides intensified strikes on critical infrastructure, escalating tensions ahead of the negotiations.
Russia targets Ukrainian power grid
Russian forces conducted airstrikes on electrical substations in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Vinnytsia regions, cutting off power to households in half of Ukraine’s regions, according to Ukraine’s Energy Ministry. The strikes disrupted electricity, water, and heating supplies, with the Kyiv area and Dnipropetrovsk region experiencing the most severe impact. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation as “very difficult,” noting that every power plant in Ukraine has been damaged at some point during the war.
Fuel restrictions imposed in Russia
In response to the Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure, Russian authorities in Leningrad and Karelia regions imposed fuel purchase limits, restricting motorists to 30 liters of gasoline and 50 liters of diesel per transaction. The restrictions were announced by Leningrad Governor Aleksander Drozdenko, who also reported that 113 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight. The Kirishi refinery, operated by Surgutneftegaz, has a capacity of 20 million tons of crude oil per year and supplies fuel to Russia’s military, according to Ukrainian military statements.
U.S.-brokered talks loom
The attacks unfolded a day before Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. negotiators were set to convene for fresh peace talks in Abu Dhabi, as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed in a 60 Minutes interview that both sides were “very close” to a deal despite ongoing hostilities. Trump did not elaborate on the proposed terms but suggested Ukraine’s territorial shape would undergo changes. Ukraine has accused Russia of targeting civilian infrastructure to weaken morale, while Russia frames its strikes as responses to Ukrainian attacks on military-linked facilities.
Humanitarian toll mounts
The war, now in its fifth year, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of military and civilian casualties, according to analysts and humanitarian organizations. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes killed at least three civilians in the latest attacks, including a woman struck by drone debris in Kirishi. Zelensky has repeatedly urged allies to provide generators and air defense systems to mitigate the impact of infrastructure damage.
Military context and escalation
Ukraine has conducted long-range drone strikes on nearly 30 Russian oil refineries in recent months, aiming to disrupt Russia’s war economy. Russian forces, meanwhile, have intensified aerial attacks, deploying 317 drones in a single night, including 105 jet-powered models, according to Ukraine’s air force. Moscow has also claimed to have struck a cargo ship in the Black Sea it alleged was transporting arms to Ukraine.
International response
The European Union announced it would activate a special emergency mechanism to expedite funding for power grid repairs in Ukraine. Zelensky has called for allies to temporarily supply air defense interceptors to counter Russia’s sustained bombardment, warning that winter conditions will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.