Ukrainian drones targeted two fuel depots in Russia, igniting fires, according to officials on Wednesday. This marks the latest in a series of strikes by Kyiv against Russian oil and gas facilities since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
A drone attack led to a 'fire in a fuel depot' in the southwest Russian region of Rostov, as reported by Rostov governor Vasily Golubev on Telegram. Firefighters continued to combat the flames, but the blaze posed no threat to residential homes and resulted in no injuries, Golubev noted.
A source from Ukraine's defence intelligence confirmed the attack, stating that the facility 'is directly involved in the supply of the Russian occupation forces'. Another drone attack has caused a large fire at an oil storage facility in Proletarsk, Rostov region, which has been ongoing for 10 days, located about 200km from the Ukrainian border.
Ukrainian drones also targeted an oil depot in the Russian city of Kotelnich in the northern Kirov region, as announced by the region's governor Alexander Sokolov on his Telegram channel. This drone attack was reportedly the first in that region, approximately 1,100km from the Ukrainian border since Russia's offensive began in 2022. Two drones were shot down, while three others fell on the plant premises and started burning, according to Sokolov, who added that the fires were 'quickly extinguished' with no damages or injuries.
Since the start of the conflict, Kyiv has repeatedly targeted Russian oil and gas facilities, describing these actions as fair reprisals for Moscow's attacks on its energy infrastructure. Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commended his forces for hitting oil facilities in Russia, believing these attacks would contribute to a 'just end' to the conflict.
