Second-largest city in Orenburg Oblast, on the Ural River
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russian forces have used ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea in strikes that hit the Zaporizhstal steel plant and other Ukrainian cities, killing at least seven workers and wounding others. Kyiv has also said Moscow is receiving more North Korean missiles and preparing to deploy more North Korean personnel on Russian territory. Allies are being urged to send more air-defence systems.
The Kremlin’s campaign has targeted energy facilities and a major refinery in Bashkortostan, with Ukrainian forces striking Salavat and Orsk. The attacks compound Russia’s refining shortages amid the war, while civilian casualties are reported and infrastructure damage grows across multiple regions.
A blast in Sevastopol has killed a Russian Defense Ministry officer, with a Russian national detained on suspicion of carrying out the attack on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence. Authorities say the suspect acted on Kyiv’s instructions while the wider security picture remains murky, as Kyiv denies involvement.
Petrol queues have stretched across Moscow and surrounding regions as Ukrainian drone strikes press refineries and logistics bottlenecks worsen fuel supply. Authorities have imposed purchase limits and tightened enforcement as demonstrations and fines accompany the crisis. The situation has deepened regional strain amid ongoing sanctions and the war in Ukraine.