Russian military forces launched an overnight missile and drone attack on the Kremenchuk oil refinery in Ukraine’s Poltava region, a key fuel supplier for Ukrainian forces operating in the Donbas area, the Russian Defence Ministry announced on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the strike as a deliberate and malicious assault on critical Ukrainian energy infrastructure. In his evening address, Zelenskiy described the attack as “vile” and a blatant disregard for international efforts to halt the conflict.
“Unfortunately, there was damage to the energy infrastructure,” Zelenskiy said, adding that the strike came despite U.S. requests for Ukraine to refrain from targeting Russian energy facilities.
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the offensive involved missiles fired from both sea and air, supplemented by strike drones. The ministry declared the operation a success, asserting that the refinery in Poltava was hit effectively.
Russia continues to assert control over much of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, encompassing the Donetsk and Luhansk areas. Ukrainian forces remain engaged in counteroffensives aimed at preventing further Russian advances and regaining lost territory through military and diplomatic means.
In a separate update, the Russian Defence Ministry reported that its troops had seized control of the village of Malynivka (known as Ulyanovka in Russia) in Donetsk. The ministry also claimed advances deep into Ukrainian defenses in the Sumy region, inflicting heavy losses on Ukrainian units. While Sumy is not officially claimed by Russia, Moscow has indicated intentions to establish a buffer zone there.
Responding to recent developments, President Zelenskiy announced on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had recaptured the village of Andriivka in northeastern Sumy, continuing efforts to drive Russian troops from the area. He also noted that Russian forces have concentrated approximately 53,000 troops in the vicinity.
The ongoing conflict underscores the persistent volatility in eastern Ukraine as both sides intensify military operations around strategic locations critical to control and supply lines.
