US President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop attacks on Russian diesel refineries, warning that the strikes are contributing to worldwide fuel shortages. "He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia," the US President said, adding that Ukraine can go after "plenty of other targets".
Trump elaborated: "Mr Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia. We spoke to Mr Zelensky about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel, because that’s hurting, that’s hurting the world. Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel, because he's causing a shortage of diesel fuel."
Ukraine's Long-Range Strikes on Russian Oil and Gas
Ukraine's long-distance strikes have been focusing on Russia's oil and gas sector for months, which Kyiv maintains both finances and directly supplies Moscow's invasion of its neighbour, now in its fifth year. The Ukrainian drone offensive has resulted in fuel rationing throughout Russia, despite the nation being a major oil and gas exporter.
Additional Ukrainian strikes have hit significant Russian online retailers, bringing the conflict increasingly closer to ordinary citizens.
Casualties and Fires in Tatarstan
Two people died and 14 others sustained injuries close to an oil and industrial centre in Russia's Tatarstan region, local officials confirmed. The two Russian civilians died after a drone slammed into a tree near their parked car in the city of Nizhnekamsk, according to the office of regional head Rustam Minnikhanov.
Nizhnekamsk houses a key cluster of oil refineries and other industrial plants. Mayor Radmir Belyaev said that a fire had broken out at an unspecified "enterprise".
Russian Air Campaign Intensifies
Ukrainian authorities reported Russian drones bombarding the Black Sea port of Odesa and igniting a blaze near a border crossing with Poland. Russia has also ramped up its air campaign against Ukraine in recent weeks, using ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to pierce Ukraine’s defences.
Moscow’s attacks have targeted Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter in what officials say is meant to demoralise civilians.
