Ukraine War Briefing: Drones Hit Russia's Ryazan Oil Refinery
Ukraine's military has claimed to have struck a Russian oil refinery in the Ryazan region, near Moscow, as part of its efforts to disrupt the enemy's ability to launch missile and bomb attacks. The military reported explosions and a large fire at the site, located approximately 200 kilometers southeast of Moscow. This attack comes amidst a wave of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian targets, with officials in Ryazan acknowledging the impact of debris from shot-down drones on the refinery.
In other news, Russian attacks in southern Ukraine resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including three civilians in the village of Myklitskyi and the city of Kherson, according to prosecutors. The governor of the Zaporizhzhia region confirmed one fatality in a separate Russian attack. Meanwhile, the US has imposed sanctions on Serbia's Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS) unless Belgrade terminates the company's majority Russian ownership. The US demands a complete change in Russian shareholders by February 13th to lift sanctions.
The situation in Ukraine's railway system has also deteriorated, with a threefold increase in attacks since July. These attacks aim to disrupt the rail network, which handles over 63% of the country's freight, including grain shipments, and 37% of passenger traffic. The Ukrainian government is taking steps to address corruption in state-owned energy companies, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordering an overhaul and the resignation of ministers involved in a bribery scheme. Additionally, he has called for the establishment of a new supervisory board at Energoatom, the state nuclear company, and the appointment of a new head at Ukrhydroenergo, along with reforms for Naftogaz and the main gas operator.
