Ukraine Strikes Druzhba, Russia’s Largest Oil Pumping Station Near Border, Sparking Massive Fire
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Putin’s “Personal Victory” in Face-to-Face with Trump
Ukraine has confirmed a €500 million ($586 million) in finance for the country’s energy security, provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Russia has reiterated its ultimata for Ukraine to give up more than 20% of its territory, for the rest of the country to be weak and demilitarized, for sanctions to be lifted on Moscow, and for the Zelensky Government to step aside. Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted: “This war must be ended. Pressure must be exerted on Russia for the sake of a just peace. At present, there is no sign that the Russians are preparing to end the war. Our coordinated efforts and joint actions – of Ukraine, the United States, Europe, and all countries that seek peace – can definitely compel Russia to make peace.” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenky will join Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin for the video call with Donald Trump and US Vice President J.D. Vance.
EA on BBC: From Putin to Washington — Trump the Wannabe Authoritarian
EA on International Outlets: Anticipating Trump-Putin Meeting on Russia’s Ukraine Invasion
UPDATE 1147 GMT:
Russia has restated its ultimata for Ukraine to give up more than 20% of its territory, for the rest of the country to be weak and demilitarized, for sanctions to be lifted on Moscow, and for the Zelensky Government to step aside.
The Ministry’s deputy spokesperson, Alexei Fadeev, reiterated Vladimir Putin’s demands from last year: “Russia’s position remains unchanged, and it was voiced in this very hall just over a year ago, on 14 June 2024.”
UPDATE 1051 GMT:
Ukraine has confirmed a €500 million ($586 million) in finance for the country’s energy security, provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and guaranteed by the European Union.
State-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz will use the funds to cover emergency gas purchases.
The EBRD said:
The latest EBRD finance to Naftogaz follows major Russian attacks on the company’s upstream gas production and processing facilities in the first half of 2025. These have resulted in significant production losses for the year, as the company rebuilds its damaged operations, and created the need for more gas imports.
Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted:
Naftogaz and EBRD have signed a record-breaking agreement for Ukraine — €500 million for the purchase of gas. This is the bank’s largest project in our country. But most importantly — for the first time, such a loan is provided under EU guarantee, without a Ukrainian state… — Yulia Svyrydenko (@Svyrydenko_Y) August 13, 2025
UPDATE 0810 GMT:
The German Government’s spokesperson has confirmed that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will join Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin for the video call with Donald Trump and US Vice President J.D. Vance.
Before departing for Germany, Zelensky posted clips of his meetings with European leaders and the message:
This war must be ended. Pressure must be exerted on Russia for the sake of a just peace. Ukraine’s and our partners’ experience must be used to prevent deception by Russia. At present, there is no sign that the Russians are preparing to end the war. Our coordinated efforts and joint actions – of Ukraine, the United States, Europe, and all countries that seek peace – can definitely compel Russia to make peace.
Over the past few days, there have been more than thirty conversations and consultations with partners. Different parts of the world, different perspectives, but shared positions. This war must be ended. Pressure must be exerted on Russia for the sake of a just peace. Ukraine’s… pic.twitter.com/kcKKolF0rP — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 13, 2025
UPDATE 0731 GMT:
In its latest drone attacks inside Russia, Ukraine has targeted a pumping station of the Druzhba oil pipeline and two oil refineries.
Ukraine military intelligence confirmed the strike on the Unecha station, sparking a large fire, in the Bryansk region about 35 miles from the border.
The facility is one of the largest nodes in the Druzhba system, which extends 9,000 km (5,600 miles) and supplies Russia’s defense industry with an annual capacity of 60 million metric tons.
The attack on the pipeline is the second within a week.
UPDATE 0717 GMT:
At least six civilians have been killed and 15 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours.
Air defenses downed 32 of 49 drones and both missiles fired by Russia overnight.
In the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, four people were murdered and four injured. A high-rise building, five houses, a cell tower, vehicles, and a garage were damaged.
In the Donetsk iin the east, Russian forces killed two people in Kostiantynivka and injured 10 others across the region.
Casualties were also reported in the Zaporizhzhia region.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has highlighted Vladimir Putin’s “personal victory” in face-to-face talks with Donald Trump scheduled for Friday in Alaska.
Zelensky noted that Putin had pushed back Trump’s threat of toughened sanctions on Russia and its trading partners, prompted by Moscow’s deadly missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
First, he will meet on US territory, which I consider his personal victory. Second, he is coming out of isolation because he is meeting on US territory. Third, with this meeting, he has somehow postponed sanctions.
As Kyiv and its European partners maneuver over a possible Trump capitulation to Putin’s ultimata, including Russia’s seizure of around 20% of Ukraine, Zelensky and nine European leaders will have a video call with the reality TV star on Wednesday.
The President said he could not agree to Russia’s demand for all of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine, even though Moscow’s troops do not hold part of the territory, as well as areas in the south and Crimea.
He noted that the Kremlin would use the gains as a springboard for another invasion. He emphasized to reporters that Putin is seeking domination because he “does not want a sovereign Ukraine”.
I am not going to surrender my country because I have no right to do so. If we leave Donbas today, our fortifications, our terrain, the heights we control, we will clearly open a bridgehead for the preparation of a Russian offensive…. I have heard nothing – not a single proposal – that would guarantee that a new war will not start tomorrow and that Putin will not try to occupy at least Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv.
Zelensky defined the terms to end Russia’s invasion: a ceasefire on the current frontlines, with both sides returning all prisoners of war and deported children, followed by discussion about territory and security guarantees.
The President said he received a “signal” from Trump’s envoy, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, that Russia might agree to a ceasefire: “This was the first signal from them.”
“Negotiations Without Ukraine Will Not Bring lasting Peace”
On Tuesday, the President spoke with more national leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Romanian President Nicușor Dan, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Zelensky said Erdoğan emphasized that “any negotiations without Ukraine will not bring lasting peace” and offered to organize a summit including Zelensky, Trump, and Putin.
He thanked Dan for Romania’s support of the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the European Union, and posted after the conversation with Schoof:
Ukraine strikes oil facility in western Russia in overnight drone attack, Kyiv confirms
Ukrainian drones struck a major oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast overnight on Aug. 13. The operation was carried out in coordination with Ukraine’s Armed Forces, an intelligence source said. The facility is one of the largest nodes in the Druzhba system, which spans about 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles) The Russian oil industry is a key source of revenue that helps fund Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 46 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones across multiple regions overnight.. Debris from a drone fell onto the roof of a 16-story apartment building in Volgograd.
The news comes as Ukraine escalates long-range drone strikes against Russian oil facilities, with the Russian oil industry being a key source of revenue that helps fund Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine.
Ukrainian drones targeted the Unecha oil pumping station, part of the Transneft Druzhba pipeline network, sparking a large fire, the intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent.
The facility is one of the largest nodes in the Druzhba system, which spans about 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles) and is used to supply Russia’s defense industry. The operation was carried out in coordination with Ukraine’s Armed Forces, the source said.
Ukraine’s General Staff separately confirmed the attack, saying the Unecha station facilitates the transport for two pipelines with an annual capacity of 60 million metric tons.
“Damage and a large fire were recorded in the area of the support pumping station building,” the military said, adding that explosions near oil tanks were also reported.
Unecha lies roughly 60 kilometers (35 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 46 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones across multiple regions overnight.
According to the ministry, 15 drones were downed over Bryansk Oblast, 11 over Volgograd Oblast, seven over Rostov Oblast, five over Krasnodar Krai, two each over the Belgorod and Voronezh oblasts, two over Russian-occupied Crimea, and two over the Sea of Azov.
In Krasnodar Krai, drone debris fell on the territory of a refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, igniting a truck, regional authorities said. There were no casualties reported.
Independent Russian outlet Astra reported, citing local residents, that other suspected strikes occurred near oil facilities, including in Volgograd. Debris from a drone fell onto the roof of a 16-story apartment building in Volgograd, prompting an evacuation, Astra reported.
The building is located in a district where the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka, one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, has previously been targeted.
In Belgorod, a civilian facility was hit by a Ukrainian drone, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed. No casualties were reported. The blast reportedly caused a fire, damaged windows, and damaged the building’s facade.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Ukraine Strikes Druzhba, Russia’s Largest Oil Pumping Station Near Border, Sparking Massive Fire
Ukrainian kamikaze drones struck a strategic oil and gas facility in Russia in the early hours of Wednesday, Aug. 13. The target was the Unecha oil pumping station (LDS “Unecha”) on the Transneft Druzhba main pipeline, located in the town of Unechka in Russia’s Bryansk region. According to intelligence sources, the facility transports oil through a pipeline network stretching about 9,000 kilometers (5,592 miles) and plays a key role in supplying fuel to Russia’s military-industrial complex. The strike was the latest Ukrainian intelligence operation aimed at undermining the logistics and energy infrastructure of the aggressor state. The operation was carried out by HUR in cooperation with other units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
According to Kyiv Post’s sources in Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate (HUR), the operation was carried out by HUR in cooperation with other units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
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Local Telegram channels reported a series of explosions in the town and surrounding area, after which a large fire broke out at the station. Russian emergency services were dispatched to the site.
Russia’s Bryansk region borders Ukraine on the north, with Unecha located about 40 kilometers (approximately 25 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
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“Unecha” is the largest hub of the Druzhba pipeline system – owned by the Transnefteprodukt holding. According to intelligence sources, the facility transports oil through a pipeline network stretching about 9,000 kilometers (5,592 miles) and plays a key role in supplying fuel to Russia’s military-industrial complex.
The strike on “Unecha” was the latest Ukrainian intelligence operation aimed at undermining the logistics and energy infrastructure of the aggressor state.
Other Topics of Interest SBU Chief Reveals How Ukraine Used 150 FPV Drones to Destroy 41 Russian Warplanes Vasyl Malyuk, head of Ukraine’s SBU revealed details of their Operation Spiderweb, which used 150 FPV drones and a covert network in Russia to destroy 41 strategic enemy aircraft.
Overnight, 46 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were shot down over Russia and annexed Crimea, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense:
“15 over the territory of the Bryansk region, 11 over the territory of the Volgograd region, 7 over the territory of the Rostov region, 5 over the territory of the Krasnodar region, 2 over the territory of the Belgorod region, 2 over the territory of the Voronezh region, 2 over the territory of the Republic of Crimea, 2 over the waters of the Sea of Azov,” the ministry stated.
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Earlier strikes
On Sunday, Aug. 10, HUR carried out a long-range drone attack on the Lukoil-Ukhtaneftepererabotka oil refinery in Russia’s Komi Republic – more than 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Sources in HUR told Kyiv Post the targeted facility plays a key role in supplying Russia’s occupying forces with fuel and lubricants.
According to HUR, the strike hit an oil products reservoir, causing a spill, and damaged a gas and gas condensate processing unit used to produce propane-butane and gasoline.
Kyiv stresses that it operates in accordance with international conventions and targets only military objectives, including oil refineries that supply the Russian army.
Last Friday, a Kyiv Post source in HUR reported that two powerful explosions rocked the settlement of Afipsky in Russia’s Krasnodar region, hitting a military base of the Russian Air Defense Forces’ 90th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade.
Russia burns as ‘massive attack’ sparks huge blaze at key target
Russia’s Bryansk region was rocked late on Tuesday by a “massive attack” involving US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and long-range drones. The attack struck critical fuel infrastructure and sparked a major fire. Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz said the Unechsky district, near the border with Ukraine, was the target of a combined assault by the ‘Kyiv regime’ The attack was carried out using both HIMARS rockets and “jet unmanned aerial vehicles” in what he called a coordinated strike on a fuel facility. One firefighter was injured while tackling the fire and was taken to hospital for treatment. The strike was part of an escalating campaign aimed at crippling the Russian oil industry, a vital source of revenue funding Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russia s oil infrastructure in recent months, using domestically produced long- range drones and, in some cases, Western-supplied precision systems such as HIMARS.
Russia’s Bryansk region was rocked late on Tuesday by what officials described as a “massive attack” involving US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and long-range drones. The attack struck critical fuel infrastructure and sparked a major fire. Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz said the Unechsky district, near the border with Ukraine, was the target of a combined assault by the “Kyiv regime,” claiming it was repelled by Russian forces. According to Bogomaz, the attack was carried out using both HIMARS rockets and “jet unmanned aerial vehicles” in what he called a coordinated strike on a fuel facility. The attack apparently targeted the Unecha oil pumping station, a key node in Russia’s Druzhba pipeline network, which spans around 9,000 kilometres and is one of the primary arteries for transporting oil within Russia and to Europe. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Ukrainian intelligence sources told the Kyiv Independent that the strike was part of an escalating campaign aimed at crippling the Russian oil industry, a vital source of revenue funding Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Images and local reports indicated a large fire broke out at the site, with explosions reported near oil storage tanks. Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations dispatched teams to the scene, and the blaze was eventually brought under control. One firefighter was injured while tackling the fire and was taken to hospital for treatment. Authorities said his condition was stable. Bogomaz said: “On the evening of August 12, the Bryansk region was once again subjected to a massive attack by the Kyiv regime.
Last night, the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck a strategic Russian facility – the Unecha oil pumping station in the Bryansk region.
This station is the largest hub of the Druzhba pipeline and annually pumps 60 million tons of raw materials.
Explosions and fire were recor5 near… pic.twitter.com/dLxURnaSGx — Vanguard Intel Group ?????? (@vanguardintel) August 13, 2025
“As a result of repelling a massive combined attack carried out by MLRS and jet unmanned aerial vehicles, a fire broke out at a fuel infrastructure facility in the Unechsky district.” As a result of what he called “the heroic and coordinated actions of the personnel of the Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia”, the fire has been “completely extinguished”, Bogomaz added. He continued: “Unfortunately, one of the firefighters was injured during the extinguishing of the fire. “He was quickly taken to the hospital, where he is receiving all the necessary medical care.”
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that its air defence forces intercepted and destroyed 46 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones in a sweeping overnight operation across multiple regions. Of those, 15 were reportedly downed over Bryansk Oblast. Other regions targeted included Volgograd, Rostov, Krasnodar, Belgorod, Voronezh, Russian-occupied Crimea, and the Sea of Azov. Despite Russian claims of successful interceptions, the scale and spread of the attacks suggested significant penetration of Russian air defences. In Krasnodar Krai, debris from a downed drone reportedly ignited a truck at a refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban. In Volgograd, residents reported a suspected strike near the massive Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka refinery, with drone wreckage landing on the roof of a 16-story apartment building, prompting an evacuation. Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russia’s oil infrastructure in recent months, using domestically produced long-range drones and, in some cases, Western-supplied precision systems such as HIMARS. The strategy is aimed at hitting Moscow’s logistical and economic backbone while limiting fuel supplies to its military.
Unecha’s strategic importance lies in its role as a pumping hub for two major oil pipelines, with a combined annual capacity of around 60 million metric tons. Disruption here could ripple through both domestic and export energy flows, creating further strain on Russia’s already pressured economy. While the Kremlin has sought to frame such strikes as acts of “terrorism,” Kyiv views them as legitimate military operations against critical war-sustaining assets. The Unecha attack is one of the most high-profile incidents involving both HIMARS rockets and drones in a single coordinated strike deep inside Russian territory. The incident underscores Ukraine’s growing ability to project force beyond the immediate front lines, striking at the heart of Russia’s energy and logistics network—a development that will likely fuel further escalation in the ongoing war.
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