Ukrainian drones have hit an oil depot in central Russia more than 1,000 kilometers from the border between the two countries.
The governor of Russia’s central region of Kirov said on social media on Wednesday that a tank for storing oil products was hit by enemy drones and caught fire. The governor said the fire was quickly extinguished.
A Ukrainian media outlet quoted a military intelligence source as saying this was the first Ukrainian attack on the Kirov region, located about 1,200 kilometers from the border.
The source told the Kyiv Independent that the targeted oil depot provides fuel to “the Russian occupation forces.”
Russian forces are stepping up their assault on eastern parts of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media on Wednesday that there was a missile attack right in the center of the city of Kupiansk in the eastern region of Kharkiv, with multiple deaths reported.
Kommersant, a major Russian newspaper, reported on Wednesday that since early August, banks in the United Arab Emirates have been rejecting payments by Russian companies that import electronic components and consumer electronics from China.
The newspaper pointed out that the work of the payment chain has been complicated by the risks of secondary sanctions. Earlier this month, the US government imposed new sanctions on organizations or individuals in Russia, China, and the UAE that it considers are supporting Russia’s military complex.
In a sign of increasing financial pressure, several banks in China, which has friendly relations with Moscow, have suspended their business with Russia this year.