Free Republic

Russian oil refining capacity has fallen by more than 13 percent in August following a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on key facilities, leaving several major plants offline. According to The Moscow Times on August 19, drone attacks forced at least four large refineries to halt operations in the past three weeks. On August 2, Rosneft’s Novokuibyshevsk refinery, with an annual capacity of 8.3 million tons, was shut down. The Saratov refinery, capable of processing 5.8 million tons per year, suspended crude intake on August 11. Four days later, Lukoil’s Volgograd refinery—the largest in southern Russia with a capacity of...

A newly built Russian Navy tugboat, Kapitan Ushakov (Project 23470), sank on August 9 near the pier of the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg during final outfitting works, according to Russian media outlet Fontanka. The incident occurred in the evening of August 8 when the vessel developed a list to starboard. Emergency services and shipyard personnel attempted to stabilize the tug throughout the night but were unable to prevent it from capsizing. By morning, the vessel had settled on the bottom alongside the pier. The Baltic Shipyard’s press office stated that the pier was leased by the Yaroslavl Shipbuilding Plant,...

Speaking on the State TV channel Russia-1, pro-government host Vladimir Solovyov warned that Russia could destroy both US coasts using nuclear-powered Poseidon torpedoes—underwater weapons designed to trigger a “radioactive tsunami.” During the broadcast, Solovyov directly addressed US President Donald Trump: “Will Trump understand that two Poseidons, launched from different sides, could wipe out the US and create a radioactive disaster? That would be the end—nothing will save them.” “No protective element will help them,” Solovyov declared, referring to US missile defense systems. Framing the hypothetical strike as a response to “Western aggression,” he suggested that Washington underestimates Russia’s capabilities and...