Russian strikes on Naftogaz facilities kill five as unilateral ceasefires remain unimplemented
Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretskyi confirms significant production losses and casualties, while President Zelenskyy condemns the timing of the assault as a display of cynicism.
Russian air forces have launched a coordinated attack using ballistic missiles and drones against state-run gas facilities in Ukraine's Poltava and Kharkiv regions. The assault resulted in the deaths of three Naftogaz employees and two rescue workers, with a further 37 individuals wounded. These casualties were confirmed by Serhiy Koretskyi, the chief executive of Ukraine's state energy company, who reported the incident on Tuesday.
The strikes occurred just one day after Kyiv and Moscow announced unilateral ceasefires intended to take effect later that week. This timing has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian leadership, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy describing the Russian actions as "utter cynicism." Zelenskyy noted that Russia could have ceased fire at any moment to stop the war, yet instead chose to launch attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Operational damage to the targeted sites has been severe, with significant production losses reported by Naftogaz. The disruption to gas output has forced a cut in supply to nearly 3,500 customers. Koretskyi stated that the attack was a combined strike involving unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic missiles, highlighting the multi-vector nature of the assault on critical energy infrastructure.
Ukraine's air force provided further details on the scale of the offensive, reporting that Russia launched 11 ballistic missiles and 164 drones against the country since 6pm GMT on Monday. While Ukrainian defences shot down or neutralised one missile and 149 drones, eight missiles and 14 drones successfully struck 14 different locations. The Ministry of Defence in Russia claimed its air defence forces destroyed 289 Ukrainian drones overnight in response.
In a reciprocal action, Ukraine targeted a major Russian oil refinery in the town of Kirishi within the Leningrad region. The strike sparked a fire in an industrial area, though Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported no casualties as a result of the attack. Firefighting operations were described as nearing completion, containing the blaze at the Kirishinefteorgsintez facility.
The conflict continues to escalate despite diplomatic overtures for a pause in fighting. The failure to implement the announced ceasefire has reignited tensions, with both sides conducting significant military operations against each other's energy and industrial sectors. The incident underscores the ongoing challenges in achieving a de-escalation of hostilities between the two nations.
