Ukrainian drone strike ignites fire at Russian oil loading terminal after Trump-Putin diesel deal
A Ukrainian drone attack set fire to the Novoshakhtinsk oil loading terminal in Russia hours after President Trump announced a deal for Russian diesel supplies, highlighting ongoing tensions over energy infrastructure.
A fire broke out overnight at the Novoshakhtinsk oil loading terminal in Rostov-on-Don after a reported Ukrainian drone strike, according to footage shared on social media. Independent Russian outlet ASTRA identified the site as the Yug Rusi terminal that serves the nearby Novoshakhtinsk refinery. The Telegram channel Exilenova+ linked the blaze to a large Ukrainian drone operation in the region.
Rostov-on-Don governor Yury Slyusar told RIA Novosti that more than 100 drones were intercepted by air defenses, though he did not comment on the terminal fire. On X, risk analyst Brett Erickson wrote, "Just mere hours after President Trump announced the unsanctioning of Russian diesel, Ukraine responded by striking the Novoshakhtinsk oil terminal inside of Russia. It seems Ukraine is back to imposing their own sanctions on Putin." The account UNITED24 Media also reported that drones targeted the oil loading terminal.
President Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that Russia would supply over 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and global markets immediately, with additional shipments of 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons thereafter, and a longer-term commitment of three million tons. A White House official confirmed that the Treasury Department issued General License 135 to permit the diesel imports.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the agreement, saying it would fund further Russian aggression, while European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas warned it would provide Moscow with revenue for the war. Investment strategist Tim Armitage of Quilter Cheviot told the BBC that the volume of diesel was "relatively small" and unlikely to affect U.S. pump prices.
The incident follows a broader Ukrainian drone campaign that has repeatedly targeted Russian energy facilities, contributing to fuel shortages and long lines at Russian stations. The International Energy Agency reported that Russian refinery output fell to a 30-year low in June due to such strikes, with a refinery hit on average every three days in the first half of 2026. The Trump administration has reportedly asked Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian energy sites, but Ukrainian officials have not altered their operations.