Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy declares 40-day Russia blitz to ‘influence the aggressor state’
Ukrainian strikes continue to shut down Russian oil refineries and starve Crimea of gasoline and power; Belarus relay stations silenced. What we know on day 1,584
TL;DR
- Ukraine authorized a 40-day operation targeting Russian oil infrastructure and aiming to influence Russia to end the war.
- Ukrainian forces struck two oil refineries in Ufa and an oil depot in Krasnodar.
- Power outages and gasoline shortages are occurring in occupied Crimea following Ukrainian strikes.
- Russian relay stations in Belarus used for attacks on Ukraine have been switched off.
- Belarus is constructing border infrastructure for military use, prompting concern from Ukraine.
- Belarusian President Lukashenko accused Ukraine of trying to drag his country into the war while maintaining neutrality rhetoric towards Ukraine.
- Russia is redeploying air defenses to protect targets like Moscow and Vladimir Putin's residence.
- A Ukrainian army unit commander was suspended pending an investigation into alleged abuse and non-military deaths in training camps.
- Norsi, Russia's fourth-largest oil refinery, suspended operations after a Ukrainian drone attack.
- The French navy intercepted an oil tanker suspected of shipping Russian oil in breach of sanctions.
- Ukraine's Fire Point is accelerating plans to develop a European missile defense system.