KYIV: Ukrainian drones on Thursday hit more Russian oil facilities and set two oil tankers ablaze in the Sea of Azov, a day after US President Donald Trump pledged to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture the Patriot air defence systems.
Ukraine's strikes on oil refineries and other infrastructure across Russia has triggered a widespread fuel crisis with gasoline shortages and fuel rationing reported in multiple regions and drivers waiting for hours to fill their tanks.
Early Thursday, a Ukrainian drone strike triggered a fire at an oil depot in the city of Tver in western Russia, according to acting regional Gov Vitaly Korolyov.
And in the southern Stavropol region, Gov Vladimir Vladimirov said oil reservoir has been set ablaze by Ukrainian drones in Vyazniki. He said the authorities ordered the evacuation of residents of several apartment buildings near the facility as the fire expanded.
In the Sea of Azov, Ukrainian drones set two oil tankers ablaze, according to Rostov Gov Yuri Slusar, who said that one of the ships was still burning and the crews were evacuated. The attack was the latest in a series of strikes on oil tankers in the area in recent days, part of Ukraine efforts to cut fuel supplies to Russia-occupied Crimea.
Russia's Defence Ministry said that air defences downed 73 Ukrainian drones from late Wednesday until early Thursday.
Ukraine's Air Force said that Russia fired 94 long-range strike drones and two ballistic missiles at Ukraine last night. While 72 drones were jammed or intercepted, 19 drones and both missiles inflicted damages at 13 locations, it said.
During Wednesday's meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump said the US will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot air defence systems to counter missile attacks from Russia in their more than four-year war, a huge coup for Kyiv which has long requested the technology.
The tone of their meeting was markedly different from an earlier, acrimonious encounter at the White House in February 2025 when Trump berated Zelenskyy. On Wednesday, he praised the Ukrainian leader's willingness to reach a deal to ending the war, saying he has “done an amazing job” and “been very effective.”