Drone attack allegedly causes fire at energy facility in Russia's Smolensk Oblast
Editor's note: The article was updated with the alleged footage of the targeted facility.
Fires broke out at energy and fuel facilities in Russia's Smolensk Oblast following a Ukrainian drone attack, Smolensk Oblast Governor Vasily Anokhin claimed on April 24.
A drone attack reportedly caused fires at facilities in the region's Smolensk and Yartsevskyi districts in the early hours of April 24.
Footage of what is purported to be a burning oil terminal in Yartsevo, Smolensk Oblast, began circulating on social media.
No casualties were reported.
The Kyiv Independent has reached out to Ukrainian officials for comment but has not immediately received a response.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry. A large-scale attack against Russian energy infrastructure on April 20 reportedly started a fire at a fuel storage tank in Smolensk Oblast.
Strikes against Russian energy targets have prompted criticism from U.S. officials, who have made it clear the Washington does not support Ukraine's attacks on oil refineries, citing fears that it could threaten the global energy market.
In response, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv has the right to use its own weapons with retaliatory strikes on Russian oil refineries.
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