Zelenskyy Calls Strike on Moscow Oil Refinery a ‘Justified Response’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that Kiev struck the Moscow oil refinery for the second time within a week--terming the actions as a " justified response" against Russia.
In a post on X, he shared a video which showed deep, dark plumes of smoke engulfing the skies, along with fires across several locations.
Zelenskyy again boasted of Ukraine's mid-range strikes and long-range sanctions for the precision attacks, which also targeted the Rostov region.
"Targets were also struck in the Rostov region and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors' work against facilities that sustain Russia's war machine,” Zelenskyy added.
How did Ukraine’s long-range strikes target the Moscow oil refinery and Rostov region?
He thanked the Defence and Security Forces of Ukraine- the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, Defence Intelligence, and the country's missile brigade for the precision strikes.
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"In recent days, all of our partners have noted the precision and effectiveness of our mid-range strikes and long-range sanctions. It is time the war ended, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy," Zelenskyy added.
The recent strike comes after Zelenskyy shared on Tuesday that Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery at a distance of 500 kilometres in Russia, boasting of its long-range capabilities in the region.
"Russia must be forced to end its war against our people. And Ukraine's long-range weapons are one of the important components of such pressure. This is a just response to Russian strikes - and to the dragging out of a war that must be ended," he said and shared visuals where flames and smoke engulfed the skies.
Reuters reported, citing Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, that a Ukrainian drone attack damaged a facility at the Moscow oil refinery owned by Russia's Gazpromneft.
It further reported, citing the latest available data, that the plant is the biggest in the Moscow region and processed 11.6 million tons of oil, producing 2.9 million tons of petrol and 3.2 million tons of diesel in 2024.
On the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he believed the conflict would have been easier to resolve but acknowledged that deep hostility between Moscow and Kyiv had complicated negotiations.
(With inputs from ANI)