🔥🛢️ Russia is no longer repairing its refineries as fast as Ukraine is damaging them.

Ukrainian drones have struck Russian refineries at least 194 times in 2026.

More than 30% of effective refining capacity is now disabled, helping trigger the country’s worst fuel crisis since the Soviet collapse.

The real weapon is time.

Ukraine is hitting complex units that can take months to replace, while sanctions slow access to critical components.

Russia can still pump crude, but increasingly has to export it instead of converting it into gasoline and diesel at home.

🚨🇾🇪 MAJOR MARITIME INCIDENT REPORTED IN THE BAB AL-MANDAB

A large explosion was reportedly heard near a Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel transiting the strait, forcing the ship to stop.

Initial reports also claim a missile was launched from Yemen toward a vessel.

The exact cause of the explosion, the condition of the vessel and any link to the missile report have not yet been independently confirmed.

No official UKMTO notice matching the full account was visible at the time of writing.

The incident comes as Houthi threats have already pushed traffic through Bab al-Mandab sharply lower and forced some vessels to reverse course.

If confirmed, this would be another sign that the Red Sea’s southern gateway is moving from a high-risk corridor toward an actively contested one.

An in depth analysis by Financial Times showing Russian refinery losses in capacity and production.

Unfortunately, the largest refinery in Russia - in Omsk - is back online.