Second-largest city in Orenburg Oblast, on the Ural River
Ukraine has reported that North Korea has deployed missile personnel and thousands of troops to western Russia and the Kursk region and that Moscow has used North Korean KN-23/KN-24 missiles in recent strikes. Kyiv, Western analysts and local officials say the transfers increase Russia's ballistic missile capacity at a time when Ukraine lacks high-end air defences.
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.