Ukraine war latest live: Drones hammer Russia's Saratov oil refinery, Kyiv confirms strike
Hi, this is Chris York reporting from Kyiv on day 1,331 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Today's top story so far:
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov Oblast overnight on Oct. 16, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) has confirmed.
"The Saratov Refinery is one of the oldest Russian oil refining enterprises, formerly known as the Cracking Plant, and is part of the Rosneft oil company," the SSO said in a post on social media.
"The volume of oil processing as of 2020 is 7.2 million tons, and in 2023 it is 4.8 million tons. Recall that the SSO struck this facility exactly a month ago, on Sept. 16, 2025."
The news comes as Kyiv continues to escalate its campaign against Russian oil and gas infrastructure, a key source of Moscow's revenues helping to fuel its all-out invasion of Ukraine.
Russia says 'will do everything' to ensure its safety if US sends Tomahawks to Ukraine
Last updated 3:19 pm Kyiv time.
Russia "will do everything" to ensure its security if the U.S. transfers Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Oct. 16.
The statement comes a day before President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, where the two leaders are expected to discuss Ukraine's request for the missiles.
The possible transfer has drawn sharp warnings of "a new level of escalation" from the Kremlin.
"Our military knows what to do; they have the military potential and all the necessary capabilities. Everything will be done to ensure the security of our country," Peskov told Russian media.
The U.S. has been weighing whether to supply Ukraine with Tomahawks, which have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), allowing Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russian territory.
Trump ready to slap 'Ukrainian victory tariff' on China if Europe follows suit, treasury secretary says
Last updated 1:45 pm Kyiv time.
The Trump administration proposed on Oct. 15 to fund Ukraine through new tariffs on China, provided that European allies impose similar measures.
"President (Donald) Trump has instructed the ambassador and myself to tell our European allies that we would be in favor of whether you would call it a 'Russian oil tariff' on China or a 'Ukrainian victory tariff' on China," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told journalists in Washington.
"But our Ukrainian or European allies have to be willing to follow."
The news comes ahead of a meeting between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington on Oct. 17, where the two leaders are expected to discuss support for Ukraine amid Russian aggression.
The proposed strategy aligns with Trump's earlier calls for Europe to increase economic pressure on Moscow as a condition for new U.S. sanctions.
According to Bessent, 85 U.S. senators are ready to give Trump the authority to "put up to 500% tariffs on China for the purchase of Russian oil."
Ships accused of stealing Ukrainian grain linked to Assad regime front
Last updated 1:41 pm Kyiv time.
Records reveal that the government of Bashar Al-Assad sold the three government-owned cargo ships to an opaque firm in the Seychelles in 2023 — two of them for just $1 each.
Since then, the shadowy vessels have been sanctioned by the European Union for transporting grain stolen from Russia-occupied territory in Ukraine.
While the owner of the Seychelles firm behind the ships is unknown, documents obtained by reporters show the company’s director has also held a large stake in a firm the EU calls a front for the Assad family.
Records reveal the three ships have also been managed by companies with ties to Taher Kayali, a Syrian businessman sanctioned over alleged maritime trafficking of the drug Captagon.
Russian missiles, drones target energy infrastructure once again
Last updated 12:19 pm Kyiv time.
Russia launched a large-scale missile attack at Ukraine in the early hours of Oct. 16, targeting cities in several regions, as well as Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
"Russia launched more than 300 attack drones and 37 missiles, a significant number of them ballistic, against Ukraine," wrote Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on X. "This autumn, the Russians use every single day to strike at our energy infrastructure."
Zelensky identified strikes hitting the regions of Poltava, Kharkiv, Sumy, Vinnytsia and Chernihiv.
The strikes began with MiG-31 bombers taking off from multiple Russian airfields around 5:20 AM. Shortly thereafter, explosions rocked multiple Ukrainian cities. Explosions were reported in Kharkiv and Izium (Kharkiv Oblast), Kropyvnytskyi (Kirovohrad Oblast), and Poltava, according to news outlet Suspilne.
Subsequent strikes hit Chernihiv and another round of explosions was heard in Kharkiv. Chernihiv Oblast Governor Dmytro Bryzhynskyi later reported that the attack struck an undisclosed enterprise in the city. Vyacheslav Chaus, the head of the oblast's military administration, wrote that a drone struck a residential building in the town of Nizhyn, injuring two people.
Energy producer DTEK reported that the attacks struck a natural gas facility in Poltava Oblast. Emergency blackouts are now in place in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Zelensky appoints Ukraine's first-ever military ombudsman
Last updated 12:14 pm Kyiv time.
President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Olha Reshetylova as Ukraine's first-ever military ombudsman, the President's Office announced on Oct. 16.
The appointment comes a month after the Ukrainian parliament passed a law formalizing the institution. Reshetylova previously served as the president's commissioner for the rights of military personnel and their families since December 2024.
As military ombudsman, she will be responsible for addressing issues related to military service, handling complaints, initiating inspections, and proposing policy recommendations.
"This is about the real protection of our soldiers' rights," said Zelensky.
Washington ready to 'impose costs' on Russia as 'only US can,' Pentagon chief warns
Last updated 9:35 am Kyiv time.
The U.S. and its allies will "impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression" unless the war in Ukraine ends, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Oct. 15.
"The U.S. War Department stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do," Hegseth said at a Ramstein-format meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels.
Though the Pentagon chief did not provide details, the comments come after the Trump administration floated the possibility of supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles.
Hegseth also urged Western defense chiefs to ramp up purchases of U.S. arms for Ukraine under the NATO-led Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative.
At least 1 killed, 20 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day
At least one person has been killed and 20 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on Oct. 16.
Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 283 out of the 320 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones launched by Russia overnight, according to the Air Force. Thirty-seven drone strikes and 14 missiles strikes were recorded at 14 locations.
Energy producer DTEK reported that the attacks struck a natural gas facility in Poltava Oblast.
Four people were injured in Kharkiv Oblast, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
In Kherson Oblast, three people were injured in Russian attacks, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.
Russian shelling struck near a hospital in Kherson injuring a security guard, he said.
Five people were injured in various strikes in Sumy Oblast, according to the regional military administration.
In Chernihiv Oblast, two people were injured, local authorities reported.
In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed one people and injured six others, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,127,300 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost around 1,127,300 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Oct. 16.
The number includes 1,080 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,261 tanks, 23,384 armored fighting vehicles, 64,468 vehicles and fuel tanks, 33,713 artillery systems, 1,520 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,227 air defense systems, 427 airplanes, 346 helicopters, 70,437 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
