Russia burning: Ukraine sets two refineries ablaze hundreds of kilometers apart

Over the weekend, Ukrainian forces launched a series of long-range strikes hitting deep inside Russian territory.

The operation targeted critical energy facilities, cutting off important supplies.

According to reports from several news outlets, including the Kyiv Independent, the overnight strikes on June 28 hit the Slavyansk oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai and another major facility in Yaroslavl Oblast.

The Slavyansk plant sits about 300 kilometers from the front line and supplies fuel to Russian-occupied Crimea. The facility in Yaroslavl Oblast is approximately 700 kilometers from Ukraine’s borders.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the accuracy of the operation on X (former Twitter), saying “we will continue our operations that weaken Russia’s ability to wage this war.”

He added that these actions reduce the resources feeding the war machine.

Article continues below.

Russian regional officials reported that falling debris caused a fire at the Krasnodar facility.

They claimed one person died and another was hurt during the incident, though the full scale of the damage remains unclear.

Beyond the refineries

The oil plants were not the only targets in this massive wave. Ukraine’s General Staff later confirmed that their forces hit a railway bridge near Ichky in occupied Crimea. Russian troops use this specific route to transport important military supplies.

Missiles also hit an ammunition dump in Donetsk Oblast and an industrial complex in Volgograd. That facility makes missile launchers and heavy artillery systems for the Russian military.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces shot down 213 drones across 13 regions. However, the Kyiv Independent noted it could not verify those high numbers.

These constant attacks are creating a severe fuel shortage across Russia, with over 20 regions now limiting sales. Local drivers are turning to social media to complain about waiting for hours at gas stations just to fill up their cars. Recent strikes also forced major refineries near Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod to shut down, according to Reuters.

30th anniversary of the constitution

Even though the Soviet Union fell in late December 1991, it would take nearly five years for Ukraine to get its national constitution.

Before that, Ukraine’s supreme law, adopted in 1978, was the constitution of the country.

In order for the constitution to be ratified, a minimum of 300 out of the 450 voters had to support it. On June 28 1996, the constitution was ratified with 315 votes in favor.

Since then, June 28 has been celebrated as a national holiday in Ukraine.

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation