Thu Sep 18 17:18:57 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, written from an Indian perspective, as it might appear on “The Hindu’s” website:

**Headline: Ukrainian Drone Strike Hits Major Russian Oil Refinery, Fueling Energy Crisis**

**Kyiv, September 18, 2025 (The Hindu) -** A Ukrainian drone strike hit a significant Russian oil refinery in Bashkortostan, approximately 1,400 kilometers from the front lines, on Thursday, officials from both countries confirmed. This marks the latest in a series of escalating drone attacks targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure, a strategy Kyiv is employing to disrupt Moscow’s crucial revenue streams that support its military operations.

According to a source within Ukraine’s SBU security agency, the strike targeted the core of the refinery, operated by state-controlled energy giant Gazprom. Visual evidence circulating on Russian social media depicted a fire and a plume of smoke emanating from the facility.

While Russian authorities typically refrain from acknowledging successful Ukrainian attacks, Radiy Khabirov, the head of the Bashkortostan region, confirmed the incident, stating that two drones attacked the facility. He added that defenses were activated and the fire is currently being extinguished.

This latest attack comes amidst ongoing Ukrainian efforts to cripple Russia’s refining capacity through strikes throughout the summer. While the full extent of the damage remains unconfirmed, reports indicate a surge in fuel prices and shortages across various regions of Russia.

In response, the Kremlin has extended a ban on gasoline exports to stabilize domestic prices. Gazprom Neft announced a delay in planned maintenance at one of its sites to mitigate the growing fuel crisis.

The situation is further complicated by international pressure on Russia’s energy sector. U.S. President Donald Trump is increasing tariffs on countries like India for purchasing Russian oil and he is urging Europe to do the same. This is creating challenges for India, which relies on affordable energy sources to fuel its own economic growth. The situation presents a complex balancing act for India, navigating its relationship with both Russia and the West in the face of escalating geopolitical tensions.

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