Russian attacks kill four as Ukraine continues to target oil infrastructure | Russia-Ukraine war News
Kramatorsk Airstrikes Leave Four Dead, Including Teenager
By Al Jazeera Staff, Anadolu, and Reuters
Published on July 10, 2026
Russian airstrikes in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, have resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including a teenager, and left at least nine others injured. The attacks targeted residential areas, with seven bombs striking buildings, a shop, and private homes, according to regional governor Vadym Filashkin.
As Russia intensifies its military campaign, Ukraine’s armed forces have responded by striking major oil infrastructure belonging to Russia. They reported hitting two significant oil refineries along with an oil terminal and depot, as well as damaging ten tankers in the Sea of Azov.
The Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region, one of the largest in southern Russia, caught fire during the attacks. Additionally, the Ust-Luga oil refining complex in the Leningrad region was also targeted. Both facilities have been frequent targets of Ukrainian operations, as noted by the Ukrainian general staff.
Ukrainian drone forces commander Robert Brovdi confirmed that the ten tanker attacks in the Sea of Azov were part of a broader effort to disrupt fuel supplies intended for Russian troops and to isolate Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation since 2014. This strategy appears to mark a new phase in Ukraine’s military approach.
Al Jazeera correspondent Audrey MacAlpine, reporting from Kyiv, highlighted that these tankers are believed to replenish supplies to the Russian-controlled Crimean peninsula. Ukraine describes many of these vessels as part of Russia’s shadow fleet, a term used for unmarked ships allegedly involved in transporting sanctioned oil.
Ukrainian authorities are also implementing what they term a “logistics lockdown,” aiming to disrupt transport networks including highways and railways that service Crimea.
In a related development, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated that Ukrainian drone strikes on energy infrastructure are to blame for fuel shortages within Russia. Speaking in the Tver region, Novak indicated that many oil refineries are out of commission for repairs due to successful Ukrainian operations.
To address these challenges, Moscow has imposed a temporary ban on gasoline and diesel fuel exports aimed at stabilizing the domestic fuel situation. Novak asserted that Russia has adequate processing capacity and is working to secure additional fuel supplies for its regions.
Last month, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the impact of Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure but characterized the resulting fuel shortages as “not critical.” According to Al Jazeera’s Yulia Shapovalova, over 50 million people, nearly one-third of Russia’s population, have been affected by the ongoing fuel crisis.
