Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has claimed responsibility for a special operation that struck the Koltsevoye oil pipeline, one of Russia’s major fuel arteries located just 50 kilometers from Moscow, dealing a significant blow to the Kremlin’s military supply network.

The attack, carried out on Friday, reportedly destroyed three sections of the 400-kilometer-long pipeline, which the HUR said was directly supplying fuel to Russian occupation forces.

The HUR confirmed on Saturday that its latest wave of operations targeted Russia’s energy infrastructure — from refineries to oil pipelines — as part of a broader strategy to disrupt the Kremlin’s logistics and weaken its capacity to sustain the invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

“The anti-drone protection and paramilitary guards proved ineffective: the three sections transporting petrol, diesel, and paraffin exploded simultaneously and successfully,” the agency said in an official statement, declaring the Koltsevoye pipeline out of service.

The Koltsevoye line channels massive volumes of refined fuels from key Russian industrial regions — including Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and Moscow — delivering up to 3 million tonnes of paraffin, 2.8 million tonnes of diesel, and 1.6 million tonnes of petrol annually. Analysts describe it as one of Russia’s most crucial domestic energy supply systems.

Ukrainian intelligence officials have described their approach as “bringing the war home to ordinary Russians,” focusing on damaging the infrastructure that sustains the Russian war machine — particularly energy networks and industrial facilities — while avoiding civilian casualties.

By striking fuel depots, pipelines, and airports, Kyiv aims to increase domestic pressure on President Vladimir Putin to end his full-scale invasion and engage in peace negotiations.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 98 Ukrainian drones overnight on Friday across multiple regions, including Belgorod, Moscow, Tula, and Samara.

In the Tula region, Governor Dmitry Milyaev reported that one drone crashed without causing injuries or property damage.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian air defense forces reported fending off an even larger-scale Russian drone and missile barrage overnight into Saturday. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 223 drones, including 140 Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones, along with ballistic missiles targeting several Ukrainian cities.

Ukrainian units claimed to have destroyed 206 drones before they could strike, but 17 drones penetrated defenses, hitting targets in seven regions.

In Mykolaiv, a Russian Iskander missile armed with a cluster warhead killed one person and injured more than a dozen, including a child, local officials said. The explosion caused extensive damage to a petrol station and several civilian vehicles.

The escalation comes amid growing international appeals — led by U.S. President Donald Trump — urging both sides to halt hostilities and enter peace talks. Despite these calls, Moscow continues daily strikes across Ukraine, while Kyiv intensifies counterattacks deep inside Russian territory, marking a new phase of the war defined by cross-border drone operations and energy warfare.

Military analysts say Ukraine’s latest strike on the Koltsevoye pipeline is among its most daring to date, signaling Kyiv’s expanding reach and determination to undermine Russia’s wartime economy. (ILKHA)