Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Terminal, as Starshield Disruptions Persist
Ukrainian long-range drones struck oil-handling infrastructure near Saint Petersburg during a large attack on Russian territory on October 18, with Russian authorities reporting fires at energy facilities. Separately, Ukrainian officials said disruptions affecting the US-provided Starshield satellite communications service used by their forces remained unresolved, and that neither the Pentagon nor SpaceX had responded to their inquiries. The service supports military connectivity, making sustained access important for frontline communications and remotely operated systems. The extent of damage at the Russian oil site and the technical cause or precise operational impact of the reported satellite disruptions were not independently established.