Key facts
- Ukraine launched drone attacks on June 12, 2026, hitting two oil refineries in Tatarstan and a synthetic rubber plant in Samara.
- A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and injured three at a sea terminal in Krasnodar region.
- Ukraine confirmed an attack on the Chonhar Bridge, a key link between Crimea and southern Ukraine.
- Russia launched drone strikes near the Chornobyl power plant, hitting a spent nuclear fuel storage facility.
- Ukraine reportedly struck a chemical plant in Tula Oblast and an oil depot in Yaroslavl Oblast on June 14.
- Ukrainian drones targeted the Semikolodyansk oil depot in occupied Crimea on June 7.
- The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was reconnected to the grid after repairs under an IAEA-brokered ceasefire.
- The European Commission agreed to open membership negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.
- Ukrainian drones have reportedly struck or entered NATO territory since March.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected peace talks proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukraine has significantly escalated its drone offensive against Russian targets, striking multiple oil refineries, chemical plants, and critical infrastructure. On June 12, 2026, Ukrainian drones hit two oil refineries in Russia's Tatarstan region and a synthetic rubber plant in Samara Oblast. The Tolyatti rubber factory, which produces components for solid rocket fuel, and refineries in Nizhnekamsk sustained damage. Earlier, on June 11, a Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured three at the Tamanneftegaz oil and gas terminal in Russia's Krasnodar region, also sparking a fire. Ukraine's military and security service claimed responsibility for this strike.
Further Ukrainian drone operations have targeted other key locations. On June 14, Ukraine reportedly struck a chemical plant, the Azot chemical plant in Novomoskovsk, in Russia's Tula Oblast, reportedly setting it ablaze, and an oil depot in Yaroslavl Oblast. Ukraine also confirmed an attack on the Chonhar Bridge, a vital link connecting occupied Crimea to Russian-controlled southern Ukraine, using domestically produced Fire Point and Behemoth drones. Drones also targeted the Semikolodyansk oil depot near Yedi Quyu in occupied Crimea on June 7. Ukrainian drone incursions into NATO territory have also been reported since March, though EU countries have not condemned Kyiv's actions.
These Ukrainian strikes occur amidst broader geopolitical developments. The European Commission has agreed to open membership negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, a move that Moscow views as a mistake. The ongoing conflict sees both sides exchanging strikes, with casualties and damage reported. Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant experienced a critical situation, losing all off-site power for nearly three days before being reconnected to the grid following repairs made under a localized ceasefire brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Russia has also conducted strikes, including an overnight attack near the Chernobyl power plant, hitting a spent nuclear fuel storage facility and causing structural damage to a reception building, though radiation levels remained stable and no injuries were reported. Ukrainian drone attacks on St. Petersburg also disrupted Russia's flagship economic forum, intended to showcase economic strength, overshadowing the event with security concerns.