MOSCOW/KYIV, June 28, 2026 - Imagine two kids having a really big argument that just won't end. One kid keeps poking the other, and the other keeps poking back. Now imagine these "kids" are actually whole countries with armies and weapons. That's what's happening between Russia and Ukraine, and it's been going on for over four years!

On Sunday, June 28, 2026, Ukraine did something really smart - they sent drones (which are like remote-controlled flying robots) to attack a big oil refinery in Russia. An oil refinery is where they turn crude oil into things like gasoline for cars and heating oil for homes.

What Exactly Happened?

Ukraine sent lots of drones into Russia, and some of them hit oil refineries. The biggest hit was at a refinery in a place called Slavyansk-na-Kubani, which is in southern Russia near a place called Crimea. This refinery is really important because it processes close to 4 million tons of crude oil every year!

When the drones hit, debris from downed drones sparked a big fire at the refinery. Sadly, one person was killed and another was wounded. The refinery is a key source of fuel that Russia exports through Black Sea ports, so this attack hurts Russia's ability to sell oil to other countries.

Ukraine also claimed they hit a second refinery in the Yaroslavl region, which is about 700 kilometers (that's like 435 miles) from the Ukrainian border. That's really far! It shows that Ukraine has drones that can travel long distances to hit targets deep inside Russia.

Why Is Ukraine Doing This?

You might be wondering, "Why is Ukraine attacking oil refineries? Isn't that where they make gas for cars?" Well, there's a smart strategy behind this.

Russia makes a lot of money from selling oil and gas. They use that money to pay for their army and the war against Ukraine. So if Ukraine can damage Russia's oil refineries, it means:

• Russia can't process as much oil
• Russia makes less money from oil sales
• Russia has less money to spend on the war
• Russia has less fuel for their military vehicles

It's like if you were playing a video game against someone, and you kept destroying the places where they get their power-ups. Eventually, they'd get weaker and you'd have a better chance of winning!

The Fuel Shortage Problem

These drone attacks are working! Russia is starting to have fuel shortages. In a place called Crimea (which Russia took from Ukraine back in 2014), they had to stop selling gasoline to regular people because there wasn't enough to go around.

In other parts of Russia, like the Irkutsk region in Siberia (which is thousands of kilometers from Ukraine!), they're limiting how much gas people can buy. Drivers can only buy 50 liters (about 13 gallons) per vehicle per day at certain gas stations.

Some private gas stations in Siberia are even limiting sales because they can't get enough fuel. This is a big problem because regular people need gas to drive to work, take their kids to school, and do all the things they need to do every day.

What Is Putin Saying?

Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted on Sunday that Russia is going through a "difficult period." That's a pretty big admission from a president who usually tries to make everything sound okay!

But Putin didn't directly talk about the Ukrainian drone attacks or the fuel shortages. Instead, he said that Russia would "honor all its social obligations" to citizens. He also said they're "adjusting certain plans" but that all important development programs will continue.

Putin tried to make it sound like Russia is still strong, saying, "We are going through a difficult period, but this has taught us a great deal, and allowed us to grasp the very essence of what it means to be a Russian citizen."

It's like when you're losing a game but you tell your friends, "I'm just letting them win to be nice!" - you're trying to save face even though things aren't going well.

The Drone War

Both sides are using lots of drones in this war. On Sunday night alone:

• Russia said it shot down 213 Ukrainian drones
• Ukraine said Russia attacked with 142 drones and 8 missiles
• Ukraine said it shot down 125 of those drones and 7 missiles

That's a LOT of drones! It shows how much both sides are relying on these remote-controlled flying machines. Drones are cheaper than missiles and can be sent in large numbers, making them hard to defend against.

Airports in Russia had to close temporarily because of the drone attacks. When there are drones flying around, it's not safe for airplanes to take off or land, so they have to wait until the airspace is clear.

Attacks on Both Sides

It's not just Russia getting attacked. Ukraine is also being hit by Russian bombs and missiles. On Sunday, a Russian aerial bomb killed two people in a city called Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine and injured 16 others, including two children.

In Russia's border region of Belgorod, Ukrainian drone strikes killed one person and injured another. So regular people on both sides are suffering from this war.

The war has been going on since February 2022, which means it's been more than four years! That's a really long time for a war to continue. Both sides keep fighting, and neither side is willing to give up or make a peace deal.

Why Won't They Make Peace?

You might be wondering, "Why don't they just stop fighting and make a peace deal?" Well, it's complicated. Both sides have things they want that the other side won't give them:

Ukraine wants:

• Russia to leave all the territory they've taken
• Guarantees that Russia won't attack again
• Maybe even to join NATO (a group of countries that promise to defend each other)

Russia wants:

• Ukraine to give up the territory Russia has captured
• Ukraine to promise not to join NATO
• Maybe even to change Ukraine's government

Since both sides want things the other won't give, they keep fighting instead of talking. It's like two kids who both want the same toy - neither wants to share, so they keep fighting over it.

How Does This Affect the Rest of the World?

Even if you live far away from Russia and Ukraine, this war affects you! Here's how:

• Energy prices: When Russia can't sell as much oil, oil prices go up worldwide, which makes gas more expensive for everyone
• Food prices: Both Russia and Ukraine grow lots of wheat and other grains. When there's a war, less food gets grown and shipped, which makes food more expensive
• Economy: Wars create uncertainty, which makes businesses nervous and can slow down the global economy
• Refugees: Millions of Ukrainians have had to leave their homes, and countries around the world are helping them

What Happens Next?

The war doesn't look like it's going to end anytime soon. Ukraine will probably keep attacking Russian oil refineries and other energy facilities because it's working to hurt Russia's economy and war effort.

Russia will probably keep bombing Ukrainian cities and trying to capture more territory. Both sides are getting help from other countries - Ukraine from the US, Europe, and others; Russia from countries like Iran and North Korea.

Some people hope that the fuel shortages and economic pressure will force Russia to make a peace deal. But so far, Putin doesn't seem willing to give up. He keeps saying that Russia will achieve all its goals, even though the "difficult period" he admitted to shows that things aren't going as well as he'd like.

For regular people in both countries, the war just keeps making life harder. They have to worry about bombs and drones, they can't get enough fuel, and they don't know when the fighting will stop. All they can do is hope for peace someday.