Oxidation reactions are significant transformations used extensively in chemical production. Use of molecular oxygen as an oxidant is certainly environmental friendly and adds to the greenness of the process. A number of metal catalysts have been developed for aerobic oxidation. This digest summarizes the recent advances in aerobic oxidation reactions using ruthenium catalysts for various transformations such as C–H activation/cyclization, alkyne/alkene oxidation, and oxidation of alcohols and amines. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd