The Senate overwhelmingly approved sweeping Russian sanctions legislation Friday that would allow President Trump to impose 100% tariffs on the world's top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China. The bill, championed by Sen. Lindsey Graham before his unexpected death in July, now heads to the House of Representatives.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved sweeping Russian sanctions legislation Friday that would allow President Trump to impose 100% tariffs on the world's top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China. The bill, championed by Sen. Lindsey Graham before his unexpected death in July, now heads to the House of Representatives.
Ukrainian forces hit two oil refineries deep inside Russian territory in overnight attacks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday, continuing a 40-day campaign targeting Russia's energy infrastructure and wartime economy. The strikes hit facilities including the Slavneft-Yanos refinery, located thousands of kilometers from the border.
Damascus has committed to significantly reducing imports of Russian crude oil as part of ongoing discussions with Washington over lifting Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation. Russian oil shipments to Syria had jumped 75% to approximately 60,000 barrels per day this year before the agreement.
An EU naval mission led by Italy boarded a tanker from Russia's so-called 'shadow fleet' in international waters off Pantelleria, between Sicily and Tunisia, marking the second such operation in less than two weeks. The operation was conducted with support from Greek and Polish forces as part of arms and oil trafficking monitoring efforts.
Greece vetoed the EU's 21st Russia sanctions package to shield Dynagas, a Greek LNG shipping company owned by George Prokopiou, from a proposed ban on transporting Russian LNG to third countries. Athens' objection delayed the package by at least a week after three days of failed negotiations.
A Ukrainian drone attack on July 14, 2026, forced the shutdown of the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat petrochemical complex in Bashkortostan, which handles approximately 2.7% of Russia's oil refining capacity. Two main refining units were damaged, with repairs potentially taking weeks or months.
Ukrainian drones struck a major oil terminal and military facilities near St. Petersburg in one of the largest deep-strike operations of the war, prompting Putin to visit military installations and vow further territorial gains. President Trump subsequently held a 90-minute phone call with Putin, offering to help find a solution to the conflict.
German federal prosecutors have filed charges against a Ukrainian man in connection with the September 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines that linked Russia with Europe. The indictment was confirmed by prosecutors and the suspect's Berlin law firm on July 1, 2026.
A major oil refinery south of Moscow will be offline for at least six months following extensive damage from Ukrainian drone attacks this month, complicating Russian efforts to address fuel shortages. The attacks come as Putin signals readiness for peace talks with Ukraine.
Ukrainian long-range attacks on Russian oil refineries, natural gas plants, and satellite communications centers have caused widespread fuel shortages and power blackouts across Russian-occupied Crimea and other regions, with fuel sales suspended to the public in the annexed peninsula.
Russian-occupied Crimea suspended civilian gasoline sales and restricted public services following intensified Ukrainian attacks on oil facilities, while Russia weighs a diesel export ban to address domestic fuel shortages. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak confirmed the government is considering export restrictions as refineries face continued strikes.
The Trump administration issued a one-month sanctions waiver allowing the sale of Russian oil already loaded at sea, despite Treasury Secretary Bessent previously indicating no such waiver would be granted. The move underscores how the Iran war fallout has made it easier for Moscow to profit from energy exports.
Ukrainian drones attacked Russia's Black Sea energy hub Novorossiysk and the NORSI oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod, causing fuel leaks and fires. Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian energy infrastructure to disrupt war financing.
Serbian authorities found powerful explosives and detonators near the Balkan Stream pipeline that carries Russian gas to Hungary, one week before Hungary's national election. Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán faces allegations the incident may be a 'false flag' operation as he trails in polls.
