Video shows aftermath of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast
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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump says Kyiv needs to ‘fight back’ after Putin launches massive aerial assault
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia’s massive attack with 574 drones and 40 missiles was a signal of Vladimir Putin’s “outrageous” intent. He said the “deliberate strike” on US-owned electronics firm Flex was a “telling” indicator of Russia’S attitude to peace initiatives led by Mr Trump.
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Donald Trump has called on Ukraine to “fight back” with a more offensive stance after Russia mounted one of the biggest aerial assaults since the start of the war.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia’s massive attack with 574 drones and 40 missiles – which also hit a US electronics manufacturer in west Ukraine – was a signal of Vladimir Putin’s “outrageous” intent.
He said the “deliberate strike” on US-owned electronics firm Flex was a “telling” indicator of Russia’s attitude to peace initiatives led by Mr Trump.
The aerial barrage on a region of Ukraine that has rarely faced such concentrated strikes was among Russia’s largest this year, coming as Moscow pushes back against key elements of peace proposals.
Mr Trump’s advice for Ukraine came as he launched a fiery tirade against his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not providing Ukraine with more weaponry it needs to “fight back.” He concluded by saying there were “interesting times ahead!”.
Russian Oil Flows to Hungary and Slovakia Resume After Ukrainian Pipeline Strike
Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline resumed Tuesday evening. A brief halt caused by a Ukrainian drone strike on a pumping station in Russia’s Tambov region the previous day. Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova: “The flow of oil to Slovakia is currently standard”
“The flow of oil to Slovakia is currently standard,” Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said in a statement cited by Reuters.
“In the coming days, we will have clearer information about whether there will be any adjustments to the supply schedule for this month … However, I believe that given the rapid resumption of flow through the Druzhba pipeline, the impact will be minimal,” she said.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also confirmed the resumption of shipments through the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline, one of the last remaining conduits for Russian crude into the European Union.
“I have just thanked Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin for the swift rectification of the damages caused by the attack,” Szijjártó wrote in a Facebook post.
Video shows aftermath of Ukrainian drone strikes on oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast
Ukrainian drones struck the Unecha oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast on Aug. 21. The attack engulfed the oil station located north of Ukraine’s northwestern Chernihiv Oblast, video shows. No additional information on the strikes was provided by Ukraine’s commander of Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi. It comes just days after Ukraine strike on a key distribution station of the Druzhba oil pipeline.
The attack, 14th Regiment of the Unmanned Systems Forces, engulfed the oil station located north of Ukraine’s northwestern Chernihiv Oblast, video shows.
Ukrainian media outlets reported that the drones appear to have struck a facility that pumps oil from the Druzhba pipeline, although the Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the reporting. No additional information on the strikes was provided by Brovdi.
Druzhba, one of the world’s largest oil pipeline, supplies crude oil to the two remaining European Union countries — Hungary and Slovakia — still importing Russian oil under an exemption from EU sanctions.
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“Ruszkik haza!” Brovdi wrote on Telegram, referring to a historical slogan from the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, which translates to “Russians, go home,” alongside the release of the video.
The attack comes just days after Ukraine strike on a key distribution station of the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russia’s Bryansk Oblast, drawing condemnation from Hungary’s Foreign Minister who referred to the attack as “outrageous.”
Hungary is broadly seen as the most Kremlin-friendly government in the EU and NATO. The country has consistently obstructed aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia throughout the full-scale war.
This is not the first time Budapest has complained about such strikes. In March, Hungary said a Ukrainian drone attack on Druzhba infrastructure in Russia’s Oryol region temporarily halted its oil imports.
Kyiv’s forces have consistently targeted the Russian oil industry, a key source of Russia’s state revenues that helps fund Moscow’s all-out war against Ukraine.
Russian oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia halted after Ukrainian attack
Russian crude oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline were halted on Monday. Budapest blames a Ukrainian attack on a part of the network. Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure. Oil and gas sales are a key conduit for generating money for Kremlin’s war efforts, with oil and gas accounting for a quarter of Russia’s state total budget proceeds. U.S. President Donald Trump is due to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders in Washington later on Monday to press Kyiv into accepting a peace deal with Russia. The suspension of oil deliveries comes after a temporary halt when Ukraine said on August 13 that its drones had hit an oil pumping station in Russia’s Yurkovsansk region. The U.N. Security Council has called for an end to all attacks on Russian energy facilities, including attacks on oil pipelines and refineries, by the end of the year.
Item 1 of 2 Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto attends a joint press conference with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (not pictured), in Budapest, Hungary September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo/File Photo
Summary
Companies Oil halted over suspected Ukrainian attack
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russia’s energy facilities
Leaders of Ukraine, Europe to meet Trump on Monday
Russia is working to restore oil flows, Hungarian minister says
BUDAPEST, Aug 18 (Reuters) – Russian crude oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline were halted on Monday, officials in Hungary and Slovakia said, with Budapest blaming a Ukrainian attack on a part of the network.
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure, a key conduit for generating money for Kremlin’s war efforts, with oil and gas sales accounting for a quarter of Russia’s state total budget proceeds.
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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha neither confirmed nor denied the account of the latest attack, but wrote on X that Hungary “can now send complaints” to Moscow, not Kyiv.
The oil supply disruptions have happened as U.S. President Donald Trump is due to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European leaders in Washington later on Monday to press Kyiv into accepting a peace deal with Russia.
Unlike most other EU countries, Hungary has kept up its reliance on Russian energy since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine . It imports most of its crude via the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Belarus and Ukraine to Hungary and also Slovakia.
Oil flows via the Soviet-built Druzhba pipeline were also briefly suspended in March following a Ukrainian attack on a metering station.
Szijjarto wrote on Facebook that he had talked to Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin who told him that experts were working to restore the transformer station he says was hit in the latest attack, but it was unclear when deliveries would resume.
“This latest strike against our energy security is outrageous and unacceptable,” Szijjarto wrote. He did not say when or where the attack took place.
Sorokin did not respond to a request for comment. Russia’s Transneft, which operates Druzhba in Russia, and its energy ministry declined to immediately comment.
According to Russian government data, Russia supplied 4.78 million metric tons, or around 95,000 barrels per day, of oil to Hungary via Druzhba last year.
Sybiha wrote on X on Monday: “It is Russia, not Ukraine, who began this war and refuses to end it. Hungary has been told for years that Moscow is an unreliable partner. Despite this, Hungary has made every effort to maintain its reliance on Russia.”
Slovak pipeline operator Transpetrol confirmed that the supply of oil to Slovakia through the Druzhba pipeline had stopped.
“Our company does not know more information about the reason for the suspension, which is outside the territory of the Slovak Republic. Oil transportation through Slovak territory is ensured and carried out in accordance with the pumping plan,” the company said.
Ukraine’s defence ministry and armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Hungarian oil company MOL said overall regional supply of oil remains guaranteed after a halt in flows from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline.
“Technical restoration is underway, after which crude oil deliveries will resume,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Security of supply for the region remains guaranteed.”
Last year Szijjarto said the Druzhba pipeline would remain Hungary’s primary route for crude oil imports.
Monday’s suspension of oil deliveries comes after a temporary halt last week when Ukraine’s military said on August 13 that its drones had hit an oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk region.
Reporting by Anita Komuves; Additional reporting by Yuliia Dysa and Vera Dvorakova in Gdansk; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Jan Harvey
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Drone strike sparks blaze at oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, media reports
A fire broke out at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast after an overnight drone strike on Aug. 21. The refinery reportedly produces up to 7.5 million tons of oil products annually and specializes in fuel production. Ukraine regularly launches long-range drone attacks on industrial and military facilities in Russia. Oil refineries, which fund and fuel Moscow’s war machine, are frequent targets of these strikes.Three Russian refineries have cut or suspended operations this month due to damage sustained from Ukrainian drone attacks.
A fire broke out at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast after an overnight drone strike on Aug. 21, the Russian Telegram news channel Astra reporting, citing local reports and footage of the attack.
The city of Novoshakhtinsk lies around 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Russo-Ukrainian border and over 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the front line.
At least five explosions were heard over the city of Novoshakhtinsk during the drone attack, residents said. Drones hit the local refinery, causing a large fire.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims at the time of publication.
Footage of the alleged refinery strike shows smoke and flames rising from the attack site.
0:00 / 1× The video purportedly shows a drone attack on the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Rostov Oblast, Russia, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Astra)
The Novoshakhtinsk refinery reportedly produces up to 7.5 million tons of oil products annually and specializes in fuel production.
Kyiv has targeted the facility in previous attacks. In December 2024, Ukraine’s Navy and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out a combined strike against the refinery that resulted in a large-scale fire and significant damage.
Ukraine’s General Staff said after the attack that the Novoshakhtinsk facility is the only oil refinery operating in Russia’s Rostov Oblast.
The Ukrainian military previously claimed that a July 2024 attack on the refinery destroyed 1.5 million tons of oil and oil products worth $540 million. The refinery also partially shut down after an attack in March.
Ukraine regularly launches long-range drone attacks on industrial and military facilities in Russia. Oil refineries, which fund and fuel Moscow’s war machine, are frequent targets of these strikes.
Three Russian refineries have cut or suspended operations this month due to damage sustained from Ukrainian drone attacks, according to media reports. Bloomberg reported that a Rosneft facility in Saratov Oblast halted oil intake after a strike on Aug. 10.
Russia’s Ryazan refinery also decreased its production by half while the Novokuibyshevsk refinery halted production completely on Aug. 2, Reuters reported.