UKRAINE delivered a brutal double blow to Vladimir Putin on Christmas Day, reports say.
Kyiv is said to have smashed a key Russian oil refinery with British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles as Vlad’s forces were routed from the strategic city of Kupyansk.
According to multiple reports, Ukraine on Christmas Day “used Storm Shadow missiles, as supplied by the UK” to hit the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region – a critical facility feeding Putin’s war machine.
Footage circulating online showed large plumes of smoke pouring from the Novoshakhtinsk complex after the strike, which was preceded by a missile alert.
“Presumably, Storm Shadow [SCALP-EG] cruise missiles were used,” stated the Military Informant channel.
Storm Shadow missiles are supplied to Ukraine by Britain, and SCALP-EG by France.
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There was no immediate official confirmation of the weapon used, and Ukraine also now fields its own domestically produced missiles.
At least six massive explosions were reported at the refinery, which is the only one in the strategically vital Rostov region.
The Novoshakhtinsk Petroleum Products Plant has a processing capacity of roughly 110,000 barrels per day, or about five million tons annually, and is considered one of the most important refineries in southern Russia.
Ukrainian channel WarArchive posted: “The Storms have reached” — an oil refinery is on fire in Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov Oblast [region].
“An uneasy Christmas deep in Russia’s rear — fire and smoke instead of festive lights. Merry Christmas….”
As flames burned deep inside Russia, Putin was also humiliated on the battlefield in Ukraine.
The Russian ruler suffered what pro-war Moscow channels describe as an abject defeat as Ukrainian forces took full control of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region.
Putin had been boasting in recent weeks that his troops had stormed and secured the city.
Ukraine consistently denied the claim, and two weeks ago Volodymyr Zelensky even visited part of Kupyansk to taunt Putin over what Kyiv said were false statements.
At that stage, control of the city was divided. Now, according to reports, it is fully back under Ukrainian control.
Pro-war Russian channels have admitted that Putin’s troops were routed and forced out in what one source called a “worse than critical” collapse.
“The settlement came under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” said war commentator Vladimir Romanov.
One loyalist source branded the loss a “f***-up” by Putin’s forces.
“The situation is worse than critical,” said another.
The Kremlin ruler awarded General Sergei Kuzovlev, 58, the Hero of Russia honour for securing Kupyansk, but the a claim has since been exposed as hollow.
There are calls to strip him of the award amid fears Putin is being fed false battlefield reports by his commanders.
According to pro-war commentators, Russian commanders began believing their own propaganda and pulled troops from positions they needed to hold.
They accuse officers of sending “false reports” of success to Putin, who then boasted of battlefield momentum in an apparent attempt to impress Donald Trump.
“The poorly organised psychological operation in Kupyansk failed,” declared the Two Majors channel.
“Much worse is that, according to our comrades, reserves were withdrawn from the direction, and our forces were not able to properly consolidate even [our gains].
“That is, with the information-psychological operation about Kupyansk, we defeated ourselves, not the enemy.”
Putin had earlier declared: “Kupyansk came under our control several weeks ago.”
Now his most vocal supporters are openly demanding answers.
“I don’t know what’s going on in Kupyansk and I’m waiting for the Russian Defence Ministry to explain the situation in a way that’s understandable to ordinary people,” demanded Yulia Vityazeva.