Ukrainian leadership continues to talk up recapture of territory in counteroffensive; EU moves to phase out Russian gas faster. What we know on day 1,305
One or more large fires erupted early on Saturday at Russia’s Saratov oil refinery as it was hit heavily by Ukrainian drones that attacked the target deep inside Russian territory for at least the second time in a week. Videos vetted and posted by online analysts showed incoming UAVs followed by big explosions and flames rising from the site while air raid sirens blared. The major refinery is nearly 600km (370 miles) east of the frontline in Ukraine. The Russian governor in the area, Roman Busargin, confirmed an attack by UAVs.
Ukrainian troops pressed on with a frontline counteroffensive around two eastern cities on Friday with Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying heavy losses were being inflicted on Russian forces. The counteroffensive had disrupted Russian plans in their longstanding objective of seizing the logistics centre of Pokrovsk, said Ukraine’s president. Russia said its forces captured two new villages – Muravka outside Pokrovsk and Novoivanivka further in the Zaporizhzhia region – but its defence ministry made no reference to the Ukrainian drive near the towns of Pokrovsk and Dobropillia.
