*** Official Russia vs. Ukraine Discussion - Invasion has begun *** (10 Viewers)

[fatness]

Russia’s children’s commissioner shamelessly describes kidnapping a Ukrainian child

Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, wanted by the International Criminal Court for the abduction of Ukrainian children — has revealed new details about kidnapping a boy from Mariupol whom she later claimed to have adopted.

In a recent interview on the Russian talk show "Smotri i Dumai" ("Look and Think,") Lvova-Belova described how she "took in" a 15-year-old boy named Filip from Mariupol, the city Russia demolished and occupied early in the war. She said that Filip "did not want to go to Russia" and said that he was "annoyed by Moscow and Russia," but she managed to re-educate him.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for both Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

.That meeting also ended acrimoniously after Putin rejected Trump’s push for an immediate ceasefire and digressed at length about medieval Ukrainian history, prompting the US to explore ramped-up support for Kyiv, including by supplying Tomahawk missiles

That must’ve been [redacted].

If you mean the entire article, it's behind a paywall now. Here it is archived: https://archive.ph/bklbW

Thanks but no - what I meant was I had a comment on it that was assuredly impermissible. Basically the idea of Trump violently reacting to being made to listen to a lecture about medieval history (even a distorted one by a pedantic dictator) is just an inherently amusing image to me.

 

[Chadstroma]

Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1334: Pokrovsk offensive fails, diplomatic pressure mounts as Ukraine strikes Russian energy infrastructure - Euromaidan Press https://share.google/egQQU56bDduwmBEQU

 

[Chadstroma]

The battle for Pokrovsk Russia is closing in on a key city in the Donetsk region. Can Ukraine hold the line? — Meduza https://share.google/89PBvF0jM5eJu8axv

 

[Chadstroma]

Frontline report: Mission Failed - Russia's 100,000-strong offensive crumbles before Pokrovsk - Euromaidan Press https://share.google/XPKprAWfWA2P1BOr8

 

[Chadstroma]

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 21, 2025 | Critical Threats https://share.google/QCfy4bWJDosF7iHXk

 

[Chadstroma]

Ukraine and Sweden sign a long-term deal for up to 150 Gripen fighter jets for Kyiv | Euronews https://share.google/ohy49aoU2zV2AAZBu

 

[Chadstroma]

Ukraine and Sweden sign a long-term deal for up to 150 Gripen fighter jets for Kyiv | Euronews https://share.google/ohy49aoU2zV2AAZBu

Gripen's are likely the best fighter for Ukraine. They are operable from make shift airstrip and are extremely capable fighters.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Right or wrong, Putin thinks he’s winning the war. He’s not going to stop until that’s not the case. That, or Ukraine and its allies capitulate to all his demands. So, we need to stop bluffing and make it clear that we will not allow Putin to win the war. It’s mind-boggling that Trump, the god of deal-making, doesn’t understand this…

We will allow Putin to win the war, so the premise is a little flawed.

 

[fatness]

Ukraine and Sweden sign a long-term deal for up to 150 Gripen fighter jets for Kyiv | Euronews https://share.google/ohy49aoU2zV2AAZBu

Gripen's are likely the best fighter for Ukraine. They are operable from make shift airstrip and are extremely capable fighters.

And just to add another bit of information from that article, the 150 fighter jets are to be delivered over the next 10 years.

 

[fatness]

US puts sanctions on Russian oil companies as Moscow holds nuclear drills

The United States hit Russia's major oil companies with sanctions on Wednesday and accused the Russians of a lack of commitment toward ending the war in Ukraine, as Moscow conducted a major training exercise involving nuclear arms.
The new sanctions were unveiled one day after plans for a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were put on hold.
The U.S. Treasury Department said Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, were targeted in a bid to damage Moscow's ability to fund its war machine.

 

[fatness]

Analysis: Pokrovsk on the brink as Russian troops, drones infiltrate deeper into Ukraine’s fortress city

Less than a day after the video of the murdered civilians emerged, the 7th Corps of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces acknowledged the Russian penetration to the railway, showing Ukrainian drones targeting the group inside the station building. The videos were just the latest in a series of geolocatable snippets of drone footage, filmed both by Russians and Ukrainians, showing Russian assault troops deep inside the urban area of Pokrovsk, far beyond the southern neighborhoods where fighting had previously been seen. These images are, in turn, the raw data used by open-source mapping projects that give all of us an understanding of where the front line is.

This was not the first time Russian soldiers had broken into Pokrovsk. Back in late July, a major breach occurred in the southwest of the city, only about two weeks after the Kyiv Independent visited the city, embedded with a Ukrainian drone team. That incursion into Pokrovsk was on a smaller scale. With the help of the 425th Assault Regiment, better known as Skelia, Russian forces were cleared from the urban area of Pokrovsk, and the city continued to hold, in stable but difficult conditions, over the following months.

Although "Fortress Pokrovsk" stood firm through August, September, and early October, the viability of Ukraine’s hold on the city was becoming more fraught with every passing week. By the beginning of summer, Russian first-person-view drones — including the fiber-optic variant, immune to jamming and perfect for laying ambushes along key logistics roads — controlled all of the entrances to Pokrovsk from the sky. That drone saturation, as the war has shown us, only becomes denser with time — and Pokrovsk was no exception. For the brigades still holding sectors inside the city and in neighboring Myrnohrad, this meant that each and every logistics and rotation run in and out of the city had a higher chance of being hit by a drone than the last.

 

[fatness]

Explosions reported near military base in southern Russia, blasts allegedly rock ammunition plant 1,700 km from Ukraine

Explosions were reported near a military base just outside the southern Russian city of Stavropol late on Oct. 22, and additional explosions rocked an ammunition plant in the central city of Kopeysk, local media reported.
In Stavropol, a woman was allegedly killed after sustaining shrapnel wounds from the reported explosion. A baby stroller with an explosive device hidden inside was planted near the military site, unnamed sources told Russian media.

 

[fatness]

Ukraine unveils upgraded sea drone it says can strike anywhere in the Black Sea

Ukraine’s state security service has unveiled an upgraded sea drone it says can now operate anywhere in the Black Sea, carry heavier weapons and use artificial intelligence for targeting. Ukraine has used the unmanned naval drones to target Russian shipping and infrastructure in the Black Sea. The Security Service of Ukraine, known by its Ukrainian acronym SBU, has credited strikes by the unmanned vessel known as the “ Sea Baby” with forcing a strategic shift in Russia’s naval operations. The range of the Sea Baby was expanded from 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to 1,500 kilometers (930 miles), SBU said. It can carry up to 2,000 kilograms (about 4,400 pounds) of payload, SBU officials said. At a demonstration attended by The Associated Press, variants included vessels fitted with a multiple-rocket launcher and another with a stabilized machine-gun turret.

SBU Brig. Gen. Ivan Lukashevych said the new vessels also feature AI-assisted friend-or-foe targeting systems and can launch small aerial attack drones and multilayered self-destruct systems to prevent capture.

 

[fatness]

Putin directs drills of Russian nuclear forces as his summit with Trump is put on hold

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday directed drills of the country’s strategic nuclear forces that featured practice missile launches, an exercise that came as his planned summit on Ukraine with U.S. President Donald Trump was put on hold. The Kremlin said that as part of the maneuvers involving all parts of Moscow’s nuclear triad, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was test-fired from the Plesetsk launch facility in northwestern Russia, and a Sineva ICBM was launched by a submarine in the Barents Sea. The drills also involved Tu-95 strategic bombers firing long-range cruise missiles. The exercise tested the skills of military command structures, the Kremlin said in a statement.

The chief of the military’s General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, reported to Putin via video link that the drills were intended to “practice procedures for authorizing the use of nuclear weapons.” Putin, sitting alone at a round white table, faced big screens showing Gerasimov and Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. All three men would be involved in launching nuclear weapons in case of conflict.

 

[Chadstroma]

US puts sanctions on Russian oil companies as Moscow holds nuclear drills

The United States hit Russia's major oil companies with sanctions on Wednesday and accused the Russians of a lack of commitment toward ending the war in Ukraine, as Moscow conducted a major training exercise involving nuclear arms.
The new sanctions were unveiled one day after plans for a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were put on hold.
The U.S. Treasury Department said Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, were targeted in a bid to damage Moscow's ability to fund its war machine.

These sanctions are huge

 

[Chadstroma]

Putin says Russia won’t bow to the US

https://www.newsnationnow.com/world/putin-says-russia-wont-bow-to-the-us/

 

[fatness]

Russia, at war, faces double trouble: Trump ultimatum and a hit to oil sales to India

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on October 22 imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil and a number of their subsidiaries as it called on Moscow to immediately agree to a ceasefire. The two firms account for around a half of Russia's oil production and more than 5% of global crude output.
In January, the U.S. Treasury declared sanctions against the Russian energy sector, including oil majors Gazprom Neft (SIBN.MM) Surgutneftegaz (SNGS.MM), but the measures did not significantly interrupt Russian oil exports. The U.S. has already introduced sanctions against the so-called shadow fleet which handles Russia's oil exports, while some lawmakers have sought still tougher measures. Those sanctions target more than 180 vessels and dozens of oil traders, oilfield service providers, insurance companies and energy officials.

Indian refiners including top buyer Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), plan to reduce or halt its Russian oil imports, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
India has come under increased U.S. pressure to curb its purchases amid trade talks with Washington. It bought 1.9 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first nine months of 2025, or 40% of Russia's total exports, according to the International Energy Agency.
Increased sanctions are likely to force Russia to offer deeper discounts to buyers to sustain its exports. Oil and gas revenue accounts for up to a quarter of Russia's budget and is the most important source of cash for Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

 

[fatness]

Poland hopes Ukraine knocks out Druzhba pipeline — Sikorski taunts Hungary

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Oct. 22 expressed hope that Ukrainian drone forces succeed in disabling an oil pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungary, amid another Warsaw-Budapest spat. "I hope your brave compatriot, Major Magyar, finally succeeds in knocking out the oil pipeline that feeds (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's war machine and you get your oil via Croatia," Sikorski told his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, on X. The Polish minister was referring to Robert Brovdi, a Ukrainian military officer of Hungarian descent and the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces known by the callsign "Magyar." Hungary banned entry to Brovdi over Ukrainian drone attacks against Russian facilities linked to Druzhba, a massive pipeline system funneling Russian oil to the Central European country.

Most EU countries stopped buying Russian oil after the outbreak of the full-scale war in 2022. As of 2025, only Slovakia and Hungary — whose leaders are known for their sympathies to Moscow — continue to use the Druzhba pipeline.

 

[fatness]

Kyiv faces 'most difficult' heating season of full-scale war amid escalating Russian attacks, Klitschko says

Kyiv is preparing for what could be the most challenging winter since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned on Oct. 23, as Russian forces continue systematic strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. "We are facing the most difficult heating season in all the years of full-scale war. The enemy is conducting massive, simultaneous attacks on all key energy and heat-generating facilities — using drones, missiles, and everything they can to destroy critical infrastructure," Klitschko said.

Klitschko’s warning comes just a day after Russia launched a massive assault on Ukraine’s energy and port infrastructure overnight on Oct. 21–22. The attack hit energy facilities across Ukraine, including in Kyiv and the surrounding region, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Odesa oblasts, Ukrainian officials said. The most critical situations are in Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, and Kharkiv oblasts, where Russian attacks have severely damaged local energy infrastructure. In Chernihiv alone, approximately 140,000 consumers were left without power on the afternoon of Oct. 22.

 

[fatness]

Kyiv Independent war coverage: https://kyivindependent.com/tag/war/

Kyiv Post war coverage: https://www.kyivpost.com/category/ukraine

 

[fatness]

Power Restored to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant After Record Blackout

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been reconnected to the energy grid after the longest blackout to date, according to Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk. The plant, located in the Zaporizhzhia region’s Enerhodar, has been under Russian occupation since the start of the 2022 invasion, with recent shelling cutting it off from the power grid since Sept. 23 and reigniting fears of a nuclear disaster.

Hrynchuk wrote on Thursday that the latest blackout was the 10th such incident, but energy workers have repaired one line while work on another is underway to reconnect it to Ukraine’s energy grid.

 

[Chadstroma]

Swedish defense giant plans to produce air defense systems in Ukraine - Euromaidan Press https://share.google/R1ovQlAD6GySCdWCc

 

[Chadstroma]

Exclusive: Sellers cancel deals with Chinese oil refiner Yulong after UK sanctions, sources say | Reuters https://share.google/5HHIGUnH8JXRUhU5L

 

[Chadstroma]

Ukraine to receive 60 US-made M110A2 203 mm self-propelled howitzers from Greece https://share.google/2qmJsXaR2v3DVs8PO

 

[Chadstroma]

NATO chief: Trump ‘completely right’ in reason for holding back Tomahawks https://share.google/ykAEMoTXk691RIIZU

 

[Chadstroma]

Trump hits Russian oil companies with long-threatened sanctions: 'It was time' - ABC News https://share.google/yjl7oVUstEJ5cDrPV

 

[Chadstroma]

Fighting their own country: Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been forcibly conscripted by Russia https://share.google/Q5Pp061N3n34r2SYo

 

[Chadstroma]

Overwhelmed by Ukrainian Drones, Russia Bolts Infantry Missiles Onto Attack Helicopters — UNITED24 Media https://share.google/y6nBas2acDd5itC1z

 

[Chadstroma]

Trump didn't like the EU before. Russia might have changed that https://share.google/fzVUjBmOMcrqNYInG

 

[Chadstroma]

Ukraine strikes Russian chemical plant with Storm Shadow missiles, military says https://share.google/SfQMoNNbI3r2PtzOd

 

[Chadstroma]

Right or wrong, Putin thinks he’s winning the war. He’s not going to stop until that’s not the case. That, or Ukraine and its allies capitulate to all his demands. So, we need to stop bluffing and make it clear that we will not allow Putin to win the war. It’s mind-boggling that Trump, the god of deal-making, doesn’t understand this…

We will allow Putin to win the war, so the premise is a little flawed.

Agreed.

I think Trump revealed his true thoughts during the Oval Office fiasco, when he basically told Zelensky that he’s gonna lose the war so he should accept Putin’s terms before it gets worse. Of course, Trump had to backtrack because he faced a lot criticism from Senate Republicans and the Europeans. But, IMO, he would be perfectly OK with conceding the 4 regions, NATO membership, security agreements, etc.

Thank goodness that Rubio, Bessent, Kellogg et al have Trump’s ear + the Senate Republicans and Europeans have continued to be fervent supporters of Zelensky/ Ukraine.

Regarding the ‘28 election, I surely hope that Rubio is the candidate, not Vance. It’s very difficult for me to trust him foreign policy-wise after the Oval Office meeting in February. IMO, it was disqualifying.

Steer clear of the politics please

 

[BassNBrew]

Right or wrong, Putin thinks he’s winning the war. He’s not going to stop until that’s not the case. That, or Ukraine and its allies capitulate to all his demands. So, we need to stop bluffing and make it clear that we will not allow Putin to win the war. It’s mind-boggling that Trump, the god of deal-making, doesn’t understand this…

We will allow Putin to win the war, so the premise is a little flawed.

Agreed.

I think Trump revealed his true thoughts during the Oval Office fiasco, when he basically told Zelensky that he’s gonna lose the war so he should accept Putin’s terms before it gets worse. Of course, Trump had to backtrack because he faced a lot criticism from Senate Republicans and the Europeans. But, IMO, he would be perfectly OK with conceding the 4 regions, NATO membership, security agreements, etc.

Delete your post pleasse

 

[Dezbelief]

Lot of familar names, most of the European refineries have been hit multiple times.

List of oil refineries - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The European portion of Russia contains the following refineries:

• Afipsky refinery, design capacity is 6.25 million tons per year,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#cite_note-KP0210-84"><span>[</span>84<span>]</span></a>
• Kirishi refinery (Surgutneftegas), 346,000 bbl/d (55,000 m3/d)[<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2025)">citation needed</span></a></em>]
• Krasnodar refinery (Russneft), 52,000 bbl/d (8,300 m3/d)
• Kuibyshev refinery (Rosneft), 120,500 bbl/d (19,160 m3/d) in the Samara Oblast.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#cite_note-Neftepererabotka-67"><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></a>
• Novokuibyshevsk refinery (Rosneft), 136,000 bbl/d (21,600 m3/d) in the Samara Oblast.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#cite_note-Neftepererabotka-67"><span>[</span>67<span>]</span></a>
• Nizhnekamsk refinery (Tatneft, TANEKO), 150,000 bbl/d (24,000 m3/d)
• Nizhnekamsk refinery (TAIF), 143,000 bbl/d (22,700 m3/d)
• Kstovo refinery (Lukoil) in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, 293,000 bbl/d (46,600 m3/d)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#cite_note-lukoil.com-85"><span>[</span>85<span>]</span></a>
• Novoshakhtinsk refinery (Новошахтинский завод нефтепродуктов), 172,600 bbl/d (27,440 m3/d)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#cite_note-86"><span>[</span>86<span>]</span></a>
• Orsk refinery (SAFMAR), 114,000 bbl/d (18,100 m3/d)[<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2025)">citation needed</span></a></em>]
• Perm refinery (Lukoil), 226,000 bbl/d (35,900 m3/d)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#cite_note-lukoil.com-85"><span>[</span>85<span>]</span></a>
• Ryazan refinery (Rosneft), 295,000 bbl/d (46,900 m3/d)
• Salavatnefteorgsintez refinery (Gazprom), 172,000 bbl/d (27,300 m3/d)
• Syzran refinery (Rosneft), 120,500 bbl/d (19,160 m3/d)
• Tuapse refinery (Rosneft), 207,000 bbl/d (32,900 m3/d)[<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2025)">citation needed</span></a></em>]
• Ukhta refinery (Lukoil), 72,000 bbl/d (11,400 m3/d)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#cite_note-lukoil.com-85"><span>[</span>85<span>]</span></a>
• Ufa refinery (Bashneft), 129,000 bbl/d (20,500 m3/d)[<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2025)">citation needed</span></a></em>]
• Novo-Ufa refinery (Bashneft), 122,500 bbl/d (19,480 m3/d)[<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2025)">citation needed</span></a></em>]
• Ufaneftekhim refinery (Bashneft), 160,000 bbl/d (25,000 m3/d)[<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2025)">citation needed</span></a></em>]
• Volgograd refinery (Lukoil), 250,000 bbl/d (40,000 m3/d)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#cite_note-lukoil.com-85"><span>[</span>85<span>]</span></a>
• Yaroslavl refinery (Slavneft), 271,000 bbl/d (43,100 m3/d)[<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2025)">citation needed</span></a></em>]

The Asian portion of Russia has the following refineries:

Achinsk refinery (Rosneft), 129,000 bbl/d (20,500 m3/d)[67]
Angarsk petrochemical refinery (Rosneft), 194,000 bbl/d (30,800 m3/d)[67]
Antipinsky refinery (RI-Invest), 114,000 bbl/d (18,100 m3/d)[citation needed]
Khabarovsk Refinery (АО "ННК-Хабаровский НПЗ"::Главная),[68] 86,000 bbl/d (13,700 m3/d)
Komsomolsk refinery (Rosneft), 143,000 bbl/d (22,700 m3/d)[67]
Nizhnevartovsk refinery (Rosneft), 27,000 bbl/d (4,300 m3/d)[citation needed]
Omsk refinery (Gazprom Neft), 362,000 bbl/d (57,600 m3/d)[citation needed]
Tobolsk petrochemical refinery (Sibur), 138,000 bbl/d (21,900 m3/d)
Yaya refinery (NefteKhimService), 57,000 bbl/d (9,100 m3/d)

 

[Dezbelief]

September 14th

At Current Rate, Russia’s Entire Oil Refining Industry Faces Collapse Within a Year

Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign against Russian oil infrastructure has shifted from symbolic raids to a systematic dismantling of one of the Kremlin’s most important industries. In just the past 45 days, Ukrainian drones have struck 12 refineries, pushing nearly a quarter of Russia’s total...

kyivinsider.com

This is not speculation but an extrapolation from existing data. With 12 refineries hit in 45 days, the tempo of destruction is already outpacing Moscow’s capacity to adapt.

I'm sure all of us amateur statisticians could analyze that statement endlessly.

Timeline to Collapse
By Spring 2026 (6 months): If the current strike rate holds, 40–50% of capacity could be out.

By Late 2026 (12 months): The refinery sector approaches collapse, with most plants offline or working at minimal throughput.

By 2027: Russia would be structurally dependent on crude exports only, with refined products imported at high cost—an inversion of its traditional economic model.

In just the past 45 days, Ukrainian drones have struck 12 refineries, pushing nearly a quarter of Russia’s total refining capacity offline. The scale and tempo suggest that Russia’s fuel production is not facing a slow erosion, but a rapid breakdown.

Russia operates roughly 30 major refineries, with Kirishi, Tuapse, Syzran, Novokuybyshevsk, and Ufa among the most strategically vital. At the current strike rate—averaging nearly eight refineries hit per month—Ukraine could target the entire refinery network within six months.

Even accounting for Russia’s efforts to repair facilities and strengthen defenses, the cumulative effect is already visible: outages are compounding faster than repairs, and the overall share of disabled capacity continues to climb.

Fuel Collapse Paralyzes Rostov’s Northern Districts

Across northern Rostov region, fuel scarcity has brought daily life to a standstill. Residents of Bokovsky and Sovetsky districts say they have been struggling for weeks to find gasoline, with many unable to reach work or hospitals. According to 161.ru, the crisis began in late August when local...

kyivinsider.com

We pool money and drive a hundred kilometers to other districts just to fill up.

 

[Dezbelief]

October 3rd

BBC Verify counts 21 Russian oil refineries hit since January — already 48% more than in all 2024 - Euromaidan Press

A record 14 refineries were hit in Russia in August and another 8 in September, sparking fuel shortages in many Russian regions.

euromaidanpress.com

A record 14 refineries were hit in Russia in August and another 8 in September,

BBC Verify reports that Ukraine’s drone strikes have hit 21 of Russia’s 38 large oil refineries since January,

The analysis also shows Kyiv focusing on some of Russia’s most lucrative plants. A refinery near Volgograd was targeted six times this year, with an August strike forcing a one-month shutdown. The Ryazan refinery near Moscow, capable of producing 340,000 barrels per day, has been hit five times since January.

Ukraine appears to target two types of facilities: large refineries crucial to civilian supply and plants closer to the border used to support Russian troops in Ukraine.

Two of the three plants in Samara oblast have been taken offline in recent weeks.

BBC Verify verified videos showing long queues at petrol stations in Russia’s far east and on highways between St. Petersburg and Moscow. Independent petrol stations in Siberia have suspended operations, with one manager comparing the situation to post-Soviet hyperinflation in 1993–1994. In occupied Crimea, Kremlin-installed officials have introduced gasoline rationing.

While Moscow and Krasnodar oblast — the capital city and the home to several refineries — remain largely unaffected, the shortages have widened in other parts of Russia. Retail petrol prices have risen sharply, while wholesale prices have climbed by 40% since January.

BBC Verify’s analysis shows at least 10 refineries forced to fully or partially suspend operations since August. Reuters reported that on certain days, national production of petrol and diesel dropped by as much as 20%. Yet Bloomberg reported at the end of September that Russia’s crude oil exports had reached a record high, highlighting how unrefined oil remains largely unaffected.

"on certain days, national production of petrol and diesel dropped by as much as 20%."

 

[Chadstroma]

What am I supposed to delete? The part about Vance?

The other stuff is relevant to the war, as Trump has always been inclined towards a rapprochement with Putin/ Russia. If not for dissenting voices in his administration, his party, and the European leadership, I believe he would’ve walked away from Zelensky/ Ukraine.

Please avoid politics. Plenty of us have strong opinions and we manage to keep it to ourselves. We get a little leeway to touch on political areas because of the subject matter and the need to for the discussion. You are going beyond that and that risks getting the thread shut down. Don't be the dingbat that shuts down this thread because you refuse to listen to the rest of us and back off.

 

[higgins]

What am I supposed to delete? The part about Vance?

The other stuff is relevant to the war, as Trump has always been inclined towards a rapprochement with Putin/ Russia. If not for dissenting voices in his administration, his party, and the European leadership, I believe he would’ve walked away from Zelensky/ Ukraine.

Delete anything involving politics….anything.

 

[fatness]

Thank goodness that Rubio, Bessent, Kellogg et al have Trump’s ear + the Senate Republicans and Europeans have continued to be fervent supporters of Zelensky/ Ukraine.

In my opinion this is fine to say here because all of them have a part in the US's war/aid effort and most or all have been mentioned here before.
The following paragraph about the 2028 election is just political, and if a bunch of us jump in with our thoughts about that election it'll become a political thread instead of an informative thread, and it will get shut down eventually. That's just the way it is here. Let's keep this one open.

 

[fatness]

Wildfire has consumed vast chunks of Ukraine. Is Russia deliberately fueling the flames?

Expanding wildfires have become part of the “new normal” in a hotter world. But the scale of burning in Ukraine is extraordinary even on those terms, far surpassing anything witnessed across the rest of Europe. In 2024, nearly a million hectares of Ukraine burned: more than twice the area that burned across the entirety of the EU over the same period. Analysis by the Guardian and the Kyiv Independent of satellite imagery, monitoring data and on-the-ground testimony connects the devastation of Ukraine’s forests directly to the Russian invasion. The fires have stretched in an arc across the front line of the war in Ukraine. Blazes are concentrated in oblasts in the east, where the majority of fighting has taken place.

Park employees fight fires themselves because the state emergency service considers the territory too dangerous to operate in. At first, they put electronic warfare systems (which jam drone signals) on the fire trucks. But they found the jammers were not working on the latest generations of drones, so turned to borrowed hunting rifles to keep them at bay. “About 50% of the time, while we’re fighting a fire, a drone flies up to our fire truck and we have to neutralise it,” Skoryk says.
Videos posted by Russian troops on social media show clearly marked fire trucks and personnel being attacked. Often these attacks follow a “double-tap” pattern, with an initial explosion causing a fire, and the same site attacked a second time after rescue and fire crews arrive.

 

[fatness]

Ukraine in race to outfox Russian defences with drone attacks, commander says

A key figure in Ukraine's 3-month-old campaign to outfox its larger enemy by targeting oil facilities deep inside Russia with drones said Moscow was improving its ability to intercept them, but that his unit was forging technology to keep one step ahead.
Ukraine has attacked Russian energy facilities more than 60 times since the start of August, causing significant damage and disrupting the flow of oil and products through Russia's vast pipeline system.

"We are dealing with a fairly skilled opponent," he told Reuters at an unidentified tarmac strip in Ukraine where several Liutyi UAVs took off into the night sky on their way to attack Russian targets. "They have a high level of training and they quickly adapt to our methods, to the tactics that we use."

 

[fatness]

‘Ready to Throw Anyone to Slaughter’ – Russia Sends Women to the Storm as Losses Mount Near Pokrovsk Atesh Says

Russia’s command is forming assault companies of women to offset heavy losses near Pokrovsk (Donetsk region), according to the Atesh partisan movement. Atesh agents embedded in Russian forces report that the command of the 506th Motorized Rifle Regiment has begun recruiting women into assault units due to severe personnel losses.

“This shows that the occupiers have exhausted their pool of mercenaries and contract soldiers and are ready to throw anyone to the slaughter, turning women into cannon fodder,” the report on Telegram says. Atesh adds that, beyond assault roles, women are used for infiltration missions. If an assault fails, they are ordered to change into civilian clothes and conduct reconnaissance, posing as locals. “Our sources confirm that there is no way back for these women. Their lives depend solely on the ‘mercy’ of their commanders, which can be earned only one way. The Russian army has completely lost any moral compass,” the report continued.

 

[fatness]

No Let Up in Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries

Ukraine’s ongoing campaign against Russian energy infrastructure and particularly Russian oil processing and oil export capacity has used both domestically developed propeller- and jet-powered drones to attack Russian oil refineries up to 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory. Since late July the Ukrainian bombardment has hit one or more Russian oil refineries every day with follow-up strikes on high-value targets that were already hit over the last two months.

Since August retail fuel shortages and outages have been reported across most of the Russian Federation as Ukraine’s campaign against Russian oil-processing capacity has proceeded. Notably the politically important Moscow, St. Petersburg and Krasnodar metropolitan areas have largely escaped. Worst-hit appear to have been outlying, politically less-influential, economically weaker territories including Russian-occupied Crimea and the central Siberian region of Buryatia. News reports from Russia’s central Siberian region of Irkutsk on Thursday warned viewers of rising prices, shortages, rationing and outages in automobile gasoline and diesel, particularly if sold at independently-operated fuel stations. According to the Moscow Times, new rules have been in effect at gas stations of the Baikal Regional Company (BRK) in the Irkutsk region of Buryatia, and Transbaikalia since Oct. 21, with drivers only allowed to buy no more than 20 liters of AI-92 gasoline at a time.

 

[fatness]

Six British Men Jailed by London Court For Wagner-linked Arson, Kidnapping Plot

A British court handed down prison sentences to six British men recruited by the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group to carry out an arson attack on a London warehouse holding aid for Ukraine on Friday. The warehouse, in Leyton, East London, was being used to store Starlink equipment and humanitarian supplies destined for Ukraine when it was set alight on March 20, 2024. The fire caused more than £1 million ($1.3 million) worth of damage.

Handing down the sentences at the Old Bailey, the London court reserved for trying the most serious offenses committed on British soil, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb characterized the group’s offending as part of a “planned campaign of terrorism and sabotage” orchestrated by Russia. “This case is about the efforts of the Russian Federation to gain pernicious global influence using social media to enlist saboteurs vast distances from Moscow,” she said.

 

[Dezbelief]

The Ultimate Drone Guide: Everything You Need to Know About UAVs

Between the two world wars, the British military began experimenting with radio-controlled aircraft for live gunnery practice, deploying a D…

united24media.com

 

[fatness]

Hungary’s Orbán vows to ‘circumvent’ US sanctions on Russian oil titans

Orbán — a longtime Trump ally — was defiant, however, claiming the “battle is not over yet,” and insisting Budapest will find ways to get around Washington's sanctions. “There are indeed sanctions in place against certain Russian oil companies,” he told the radio program "Good Morning Hungary." “I started the week by consulting with MOL executives several times, and we are working on how to circumvent these sanctions," Orbán said, referring to Hungary's MOL energy company.
“Anyone who wants utility price reductions must defend Hungary's right to buy oil and gas from Russia,” he added.

 

[Dezbelief]

Ukrainian Drone Strike Halts Operations at Major Russian Oil Refinery in Ryazan

The Ryazan oil refinery in Russia has suspended its main crude distillation unit following a Ukrainian drone attack that caused a fire.

united24media.com

The Ryazan oil refinery, Russia’s fourth-largest, halted its main crude distillation unit following a Ukrainian drone strike earlier this week, two industry sources told Reuters on October 24.

According to the report, the CDU-4 primary processing unit was shut down on Thursday after a fire broke out as a result of the attack. Several related units, including reforming, vacuum gasoil hydrotreating, and catalytic cracking, were also temporarily shut down.

Previously, it was reported that drones struck deep inside Russia, hitting two key industrial targets: a defense-linked mechanical plant in Mordovia and a major oil complex in Dagestan.

Ukraine’s HUR Eliminates Key Russian Air-Defense Systems in Crimea and South—Buk-M3, Nebo Radars Hit, Video

Ukraine’s HUR reported the destruction of three significant Russian air-defense systems, including a Buk-M3 and two Nebo-SVU radars, enhancing operational security.

united24media.com

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said on October 24 that its Active Operations Department detected and destroyed three high-value Russian air-defense systems during operations on October 23–24.

“On October 23 and 24, specialists from the HUR’s Active Operations Department detected and destroyed three high-value Russian air-defense systems,” the agency said in a public statement.

According to HUR, the losses included a Buk-M3 self-propelled launcher and two 1Л119 “Nebo-SVU” surveillance radars. The agency reported the systems were eliminated on temporarily occupied territory in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions and in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Video released by HUR shows strike and aftermath footage that, the agency said, confirms the destruction of radar installations and the Buk launcher. The statement framed the operation as a targeted effort to degrade the occupiers’ layered air-defense capabilities and to reduce the risk those systems pose to Ukrainian forces and civilian areas.

Earlier, it was reported that Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian 1L119 Nebo-SVU radar system in the temporarily occupied Kherson region.

Long-Range Drones Smash Russian Arms Factory and Oil Hub Nearly 1,000 km From Ukrainian Border, Video

Drones targeted key industrial sites in Russia, hitting a defense plant in Mordovia and an oil complex in Dagestan.

united24media.com

Drones struck deep inside Russia, hitting two key industrial targets: a defense-linked mechanical plant in Mordovia and a major oil complex in Dagestan, according to Russian media outlet Astra on October 22.

The Saransk Mechanical Plant in the city of Saransk—part of Russia’s state defense conglomerate Rostec—was hit in a precision strike that reportedly caused damage to the facility. Residents captured the moment of impact on video

According to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate, the Saransk plant manufactures munitions, detonators, and components for Russia’s military and defense industry. Despite its ties to Rostec and its direct role in arming Russian forces, the plant remains unsanctioned by the United States and the European Union.

Meanwhile, in Dagestan, drones hit an oil refinery complex in the capital, Makhachkala.

Videos published by Astra and verified by OSINT analysts show a strike on the DagNefteProdukt oil refinery—one of the largest in the North Caucasus, spanning 32 hectares and capable of processing up to 1 million tons of oil annually.

The footage, taken roughly three kilometers from the site, captured a direct impact on refinery infrastructure.

 

[fatness]

Russia tested new nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile

Russia says the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel) - dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO - is "invincible" to current and future missile defences, with an almost unlimited range and unpredictable flight path.
"It is a unique ware which nobody else in the world has," Putin, dressed in camouflage fatigues at a meeting with generals overseeing the war in Ukraine, said in remarks released by the Kremlin on Sunday.

Putin's message for the broader West, after the United States moved to provide Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets in Russia, is that Moscow can strike back if it wants to.
After The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration has lifted a key restriction on Ukraine's use of some long-range missiles provided by Western allies, Putin said on Thursday that if Russia was attacked, the response would be "very serious, if not overwhelming."

Odd thing for Putin to say while his country's energy and fuel industries are under attack already.

 

[Chadstroma]

Russia tested new nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile

Russia says the 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel) - dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO - is "invincible" to current and future missile defences, with an almost unlimited range and unpredictable flight path.
"It is a unique ware which nobody else in the world has," Putin, dressed in camouflage fatigues at a meeting with generals overseeing the war in Ukraine, said in remarks released by the Kremlin on Sunday.

Putin's message for the broader West, after the United States moved to provide Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets in Russia, is that Moscow can strike back if it wants to.
After The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration has lifted a key restriction on Ukraine's use of some long-range missiles provided by Western allies, Putin said on Thursday that if Russia was attacked, the response would be "very serious, if not overwhelming."

Odd thing for Putin to say while his country's energy and fuel industries are under attack already.

They also have claimed the Kinzhal and Zircon were unbeatable until they were actually intercepted.

 

[fatness]

They also have claimed the Kinzhal and Zircon were unbeatable until they were actually intercepted.

And they're keeping amazingly quiet about their coal-powered drones.
/s