Ukraine Targets Another Russian Refinery As Part Of Its Deadliest Attack In Years

A new Ukrainian drone strike against Russia became the deadliest in more than two years, killing 13 people and injuring 75.

The attack took place in Nizhnekamsk, in the Tatarstan region. It is where the Taneco oil refinery is located and the target attacked by Kyiv, according to the Ukrainian army.

CNN detailed that it is not exactly clear if the target was struck, but videos circulating on social media showed a blaze and plumes of smoke outside the city, close to towers that are characteristic of oil refineries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that forces had hit another refinery. He has described the strikes as "long-range sanctions" that worked to "limit Russia's oil revenues, which it uses to finance the war and the killing of Ukrainians."

However, Kyiv has been warning that at the same time it faces shortages at home, particularly missile interceptors.

Another report claimed that the country is bracing for what could become the country's most difficult winter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion as Moscow ramps up missile strikes targeting critical energy infrastructure.

With temperatures still high in the middle of summer, Zelenskyy has already made winter preparedness a central priority, warning that protecting power plants, heating facilities and other essential infrastructure will be critical to keeping the country functioning during the colder months.

Russia has stepped up missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, a strategy analysts believe is designed to exploit Kyiv's limited supply of ballistic missile interceptors and place additional pressure on civilian infrastructure before the heating season begins.

Another report has detailed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering a limited assault on a NATO country to test the alliance.

The assessment from U.S. intelligence officials claimed such a scenario could take place in the next few years, with another possibility being a cyberattack.

The Wall Street Journal detailed that previous assessments believed that Putin wouldn't make such a decision while still fighting in Ukraine, but the thinking changed earlier this year as the war continues and Kyiv manages to strike deep into Russian territory and inflict damage on its oil industry while keeping the front lines largely unchanged.

The goal of attacking a NATO country, the report added, would be fracturing the transatlantic alliance. Such an attack could take place between this fall and 2029. The likelihood of it happening is low but grows as time goes by and Putin does not manage to make strategic gains in the war.