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Ukraine Strikes Black Sea Oil Refinery as Russian Attacks Kill 17

HeadlineApr 17, 2026

In Ukraine, at least 17 people were killed as Russia launched its deadliest drone and missile attacks of the year on Kyiv and other cities. Among the dead was a 12-year-old child; dozens more were wounded. This is Valerii Shashkov, an 84-year-old who had to have glass shards removed from his face after Russian strikes shattered the windows of his home.

Valerii Shashkov: “It hit me like a smash. I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t figure out what had happened, that blood was flowing all around me, you see. I looked up, and then there was another strike.”

The violence came at the end of a 32-hour Orthodox Easter truce that each side accused the other of violating. On Thursday, Russian officials said a Ukrainian drone attack on the Black Sea port of Tuapse killed two people, including a teenage girl. The strikes also triggered a massive fire at one of Russia’s largest oil refineries.

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