Muscow: The Russia-Ukraine war has witnessed another major escalation, with Ukraine reportedly launching a large-scale drone attack on one of Russia’s key oil refineries in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

The overnight attack targeted an industrial facility in the Kstovo district, east of Moscow. Russian authorities have acknowledged that the refinery sustained significant damage following the drone strikes.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told state television that Ukraine had resumed attacks on Russian energy infrastructure after a brief pause. He also said that Ukraine had recently targeted three Russian oil refineries and a gas-chemical complex.

Since the war began in February 2022, Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian energy facilities as part of its strategy to disrupt Moscow’s energy infrastructure and revenue sources.

However, these attacks have also drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump. Over the past few weeks, Trump has reportedly been pressuring Kyiv to stop targeting Russian energy facilities, blaming such strikes for contributing to rising diesel prices in the global market.

With fresh attacks on critical energy infrastructure, tensions between Moscow and Kyiv continue to escalate, while international pressure for restraint remains a key part of the diplomatic landscape.