Ukrainian jets hit a major Russian oil refinery in Omsk, Siberia

Ukrainian warplanes hit a major oil refinery in the western Siberian city of Omsk, in what appears to be Kyiv’s biggest attack on Russian territory since the all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian military officials said Monday that the strike had caused a fire at the facility, which is located about 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) from Ukrainian territory and near the Russian-Kazakhstan border.

The attack, confirmed by local Russian officials, provides further evidence of Kyiv’s long-range fighter jet capabilities and comes ahead of a tense NATO summit. Heads of state from 32 countries are expected in the Turkish capital from Tuesday for a two-day conference.

“Today, our long-range sanctions reached the oil refinery in Omsk – about 2,500 kilometers from Ukraine,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily evening speech, according to the translation.

“The advanced Fire Point drones have placed Siberia in the precise location of Ukraine. This is a major blow to the Russian oil economy and an important achievement for the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Zelenskyy said.

Based in Kyiv, Fire Point is a leading defense company in Ukraine specializing in drone systems and precision warheads for modern precision warfare.

The Omsk oil refinery is the largest of 11 Russian oil refineries hit by Ukrainian forces, the Ukrainian military said.

The facility is estimated to have a capacity to refine more than 21 million tons of crude oil per year and specializes in the production of various oils, lubricants and petrochemical products.

Omsk regional governor Vitaly Khotsenko said via Telegram on Monday that emergency services are working at the scene following the Ukrainian attack on the facility. No casualties were reported in this incident.

Ukraine has stepped up its attacks on Russian oil facilities in recent months, seeking to eliminate President Vladimir Putin’s war chest as the Kremlin’s more than four-year war continues.

The president of Ukraine said on Monday that the country’s military was able to attack Russian oil facilities in the Yaroslavl region, as well as other areas of the neighboring country.

Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones against Kyiv in the early hours of Monday, killing at least 19 people, authorities said. This attack follows an attack that took place in the capital of Ukraine last week.

US President Donald Trump held separate phone calls with Russia’s Putin and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy over the weekend and said Monday that a solution to the conflict is “closer than people think.”

Trump is expected to hold talks with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO meeting in Ankara.