In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian drones targeted a major gas processing plant in southern Russia, igniting a fire and disrupting operations. The Orenburg plant, operated by Gazprom and located near the Kazakh border, is a critical facility with an annual capacity of 45 billion cubic meters. The attack forced the plant to temporarily halt gas intake from Kazakhstan, according to statements from Russian and Kazakh authorities. Regional Governor Yevgeny Solntsev confirmed that a workshop was set ablaze, causing partial damage. The Kazakh Energy Ministry cited Gazprom’s notification, attributing the disruption to an ’emergency situation following a drone attack.’ Ukraine’s General Staff reported a ‘large-scale fire’ and damage to a gas processing unit, underscoring Kyiv’s strategy of targeting Russian energy infrastructure to weaken Moscow’s war efforts. Meanwhile, Ukrainian prosecutors accused Russia of modifying aerial-guided bombs to strike deeper into Ukrainian territory. The UMPB-5R, a rocket-powered bomb capable of traveling up to 130 kilometers, was reportedly used for the first time in an attack on Lozava, a city 150 kilometers south of Kharkiv. Russian strikes also injured 11 people in the Dnipropetrovsk region, damaging residential buildings and a store. In a separate incident, Ukraine claimed a drone strike hit Russia’s Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery, sparking a fire and damaging refining units. Russian authorities did not immediately confirm the attack but stated that their air defense forces had intercepted 45 Ukrainian drones overnight. Ukraine’s air force, in turn, reported that Russia launched 62 drones into Ukrainian territory, with 40 being neutralized. Amid these developments, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Ukraine might need to cede territory to achieve peace, marking a shift in his stance. In a Fox News interview, Trump indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin would likely retain control of certain areas. Trump’s comments, coupled with his reluctance to commit to supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, have raised concerns about the U.S. role in the conflict. As both sides prepare for a potential summit between Trump and Putin in Budapest, hopes for a breakthrough remain tempered by the ongoing violence and geopolitical complexities.
Ukrainian drones strike major Russian gas plant as Trump says Kyiv may have to trade land for peace
