Christmas Day brought a brutal reality check for Russia, as Ukraine reportedly delivered a significant double blow. In a series of coordinated actions, Kyiv is said to have struck a vital Russian oil refinery and fully recaptured a strategically important city.
The Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region, a critical facility fueling Putin’s war machine, was reportedly rocked by at least six explosions. Online footage showed thick plumes of smoke after what is believed to be a strike by British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. This refinery is a major player in southern Russia, processing around 110,000 barrels of oil daily, making it a crucial target.
Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces reportedly secured full control of the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region. This victory is a major embarrassment for Moscow, as President Putin had recently boasted that his troops had captured the city. Ukraine consistently denied these claims, with President Zelensky even visiting parts of Kupyansk to counter Russian propaganda. Now, even pro-war Russian channels are admitting a “worse than critical” collapse and a “f***-up” by their forces, exposing potentially false battlefield reports fed to Putin by his commanders.
These Christmas Day events highlight ongoing Ukrainian determination and the internal challenges facing Russia’s military command.
Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/37735448/putin-ukraine-brit-storm-shadow-missiles-strike-kupyansk/
