On the night of November 14 to 15, 2025, the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia escalated with a flurry of attacks on critical infrastructure, marking one of the most intense exchanges in recent months. Ukrainian forces struck deep inside Russian territory, targeting the Ryazan oil refinery and other military sites, while Russia responded with a barrage of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine. The ripple effects of these strikes have been felt far beyond the battlefield, disrupting global oil markets and intensifying concerns about the conflict’s next phase.
According to Ukraine’s General Staff, Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated assault that hit the Ryazan oil refinery in Russia’s Ryazan Oblast, sparking explosions and a massive fire at the facility. The refinery, a key producer of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and liquefied gases, is especially significant for its annual output of about 840,000 tons of TS-1 aviation fuel—crucial for Russia’s Aerospace Forces, as reported by The Kyiv Independent. The attack was confirmed by Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov, who noted that an enterprise in the region (widely understood to be the refinery) sustained damage after Russian air defenses intercepted 25 drones over Ryazan Oblast that night.
The Ryazan strike was just one part of a broader Ukrainian campaign. The General Staff also reported successful hits on a Nebo-U radar station in Russian-occupied Crimea, a military train near Tokmak in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and a concentration of Russian personnel near Vovchansk in occupied Kharkiv Oblast. The full results of these strikes are still being assessed, but the intent is clear: disrupt Russian military logistics and supply lines wherever possible.
Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil facilities have not gone unnoticed. Repeated attacks have led to gasoline shortages in parts of Russia and a significant 17.1% drop in Russian oil product exports in September compared to August, according to Reuters. These disruptions have added a new layer of pressure on Moscow’s ability to finance and sustain its war effort.
Perhaps the most consequential attack came at Russia’s largest oil export port on the Black Sea, Novorossiysk. Industry insiders told Reuters that the port temporarily halted exports on November 15 following a Ukrainian drone attack. Novorossiysk typically handles around 2.2 million barrels of oil daily, accounting for about 2% of global supply. The attack damaged two berths at the Sheskharis terminal, a docked ship, an apartment building, and an oil depot, injuring three crew members. Cleanup crews—over 170 people and 50 pieces of equipment—quickly extinguished the fire and aided residents, according to Veniamin Kondratyev, governor of the Krasnodar region.
The fallout from the Novorossiysk attack was immediate. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which exports oil from Kazakhstan via a nearby terminal, suspended loading for several hours until the air raid alert was lifted. Meanwhile, international oil prices jumped by more than 2% on November 15 due to mounting supply concerns. Although the NKHP grain terminal in the area continued to operate, a docked container ship suffered some collateral damage from drone debris. British maritime security firm Ambrey reported that a crane and several containers were also hit.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the situation directly, stating on November 15 that Kyiv had launched long-range "Neptune" cruise missiles at targets inside Russia overnight and that such strikes were becoming "increasingly successful." While Zelensky did not specify the targets, the message was clear: Ukraine is expanding its reach and capabilities, aiming to disrupt Russian operations well beyond the front lines.
The Russian response was swift and forceful. On the same night, Russian forces unleashed a massive air assault on Ukraine, launching three Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles and 135 drones—including roughly 80 Shahed-type drones—from multiple directions, as reported by the Ukrainian Air Force and cited by understandingwar.org. Ukrainian air defenses managed to shoot down two of the Kinzhal missiles and 91 drones, but one missile and 41 drones still struck 13 locations, with debris falling on four more.
This attack was part of a larger Russian campaign targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure. According to Ukrenergo, the state electricity transmission operator, Russian forces launched over 1,500 missiles and 2,000 strike drones against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in October and early November. The focus has been on electricity generation facilities, high-voltage substations, distribution networks, and gas infrastructure—an effort to cripple Ukraine’s capacity to sustain itself during the harsh winter months.
Vitaly Zaichenko, chairperson of Ukrenergo, described the scale of the Russian attacks as “enormous,” with each target facing a barrage of weapons. Russian forces have also ramped up the use of glide bombs and Shahed-type drones, with plans to produce up to 120,000 glide bombs and 70,000 long-range drones in 2025, according to Ukrainian Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Deputy Chief Major General Vadym Skibitskyi. Of these, 30,000 are expected to be Shahed-type drones, a figure that aligns with previous statements from Ukrainian intelligence.
Ukraine, for its part, is working to replicate Russia’s battlefield air interdiction (BAI) campaign, albeit on a more limited scale. On November 14, Ukrainian forces conducted airstrikes using GBU-62 guided bombs against Russian transport communications and manpower concentrations near Pokrovsk and Shevchenko. Another strike damaged a road bridge in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast used by Russian forces for logistics. These efforts aim to deny Russia the sanctuary it has enjoyed in rear areas and disrupt its offensive momentum.
Meanwhile, Russian forces have exploited poor weather to gain ground in places like Novopavlivka, using motorcycles, buggies, and trucks to move under cover of fog. Ukrainian volunteer Serhii Sternenko reported that Russian troops set up a pontoon bridge and moved equipment across the Vovcha River, though Ukrainian forces managed to strike some of the vehicles after detecting the movement.
The intensity of these recent exchanges underscores a troubling reality: both sides are escalating their use of advanced weaponry and targeting each other’s logistical lifelines. The stakes are rising, not just for the combatants but for global markets and civilians caught in the crossfire. As Ukrainian and Russian forces continue to adapt and escalate, the world watches anxiously, aware that each strike and counterstrike could have far-reaching consequences.
For now, the battle rages on—each side seeking to tip the balance, neither willing to yield, and the cost mounting with every passing day.
