Ukrainian drones have struck a critical gas processing plant in southern Russia, causing a massive fire and disrupting gas intake from Kazakhstan, according to Russian and Kazakh authorities. The Orenburg plant, operated by Gazprom, is one of the world’s largest facilities of its kind, processing 45 billion cubic meters of gas annually, including condensate from Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak field. The attack, confirmed by Ukraine’s General Staff, damaged a gas purification unit and set a workshop ablaze, forcing a temporary halt to operations.
Regional Governor Yevgeny Solntsev reported significant structural damage, while Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry noted the plant’s inability to process gas due to the “emergency situation.” Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian energy infrastructure, claiming these facilities fund and fuel Moscow’s war machine, now in its fourth year. Simultaneously, Ukraine reported a separate drone strike on the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region, operated by Rosneft. The attack reportedly sparked a fire and damaged key refining units, though Russian officials have not yet confirmed the extent of the damage.
On the same day, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its air defenses downed 45 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 12 over Samara, one over Orenburg, and 11 over Saratov. Ukraine’s air force countered that Russia launched 62 drones into Ukrainian territory, with 40 either shot down or disrupted by electronic jamming.
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Meanwhile, Ukraine faces intensified Russian attacks. In Kharkiv, prosecutors reported the first use of a new Russian UMPB-5R rocket-powered aerial bomb, capable of traveling 130 kilometers, in an attack on Lozava, 150 kilometers south of Kharkiv. Ukrainian authorities allege Russia is modifying its guided bombs to target civilians deeper within Ukraine. In Dnipropetrovsk, Russian drone strikes injured 11 people and damaged 14 residential buildings and a store in the Shakhtarske area, according to acting Governor Vladyslav Haivanenko.
Across the Atlantic, U.S. President Donald Trump stirred controversy by suggesting Ukraine may need to cede territory to end Russia’s invasion. In a Fox News interview aired Sunday, Trump remarked, “He’s going to take something,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s territorial gains. Trump’s comments, made before his recent calls with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reflect a shift from his earlier openness to supporting Ukraine’s efforts to reclaim lost land. He expressed hesitation about supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, citing concerns over U.S. weapons stocks, stating, “We can’t give all our weapons to Ukraine.”
The Tomahawk missiles, which Ukraine has requested to strike deep into Russian territory, could shift the balance in Kyiv’s favor, analysts argue, potentially pressuring Moscow into negotiations. Trump’s reluctance to commit to the deliveries followed his Friday meeting with Zelensky at the White House, where no firm promises were made. Trump and Putin are set to meet in Budapest in the coming weeks, raising hopes for diplomatic progress but tempered expectations for a breakthrough.
As the conflict intensifies, both sides continue to target critical infrastructure, with Ukraine aiming to disrupt Russia’s economic lifelines and Moscow escalating its aerial assaults. The international community watches closely as Trump’s evolving stance and upcoming talks with Putin could shape the path toward peace—or further prolong the devastating war.
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