Overview
- Ukrainian long‑range drones attacked oil depots in the Tver and Stavropol regions and struck an oil loading terminal in Rostov overnight into Thursday, Ukrainian officials and regional governors said.
- The Ukrainian General Staff reported hitting 12 tankers, one tugboat and one dry cargo ship in the Sea of Azov as part of a campaign targeting vessels used to move fuel to Russian forces and to bypass sanctions.
- Industry sources and multiple reports say the wave of strikes has knocked major refinery capacity offline, with Reuters‑cited sources saying Gazprom Neft’s Omsk refinery halted crude processing after damage to key units.
- Moscow has moved to protect supplies by banning diesel exports through the end of July and many Russian regions have reported rationing, long queues and localized shortages at filling stations.
- Russia continued missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities that killed and injured civilians, and the United States signaled a shift by pledging a licence for Patriot production for Ukraine, a move that could strengthen air defences but raise escalation risks.