An oil depot in occupied Luhansk was struck by ATACMS missiles, causing a mass fire at the facility, the Moscow-installed head of the occupied region, Leonid Pasechnik, claimed on May 8. At least five employees were reportedly injured and hospitalized.
Pasechnik announced on Telegram at around 11:35 p.m. local time that the depot had been attacked and emergency response teams were working to contain the fire.
The Russian proxy later reported that five employees of the oil depot were injured and hospitalized, power lines were damaged, houses in the immediate area were partially de-energized, and a high-pressure gas pipeline was on fire.
"An overnight strike on an oil depot in Luhansk was allegedly carried out by Western-style ATACMS missiles," Pasechnik claimed.
Ukrainian officials did not comment on the claims, which cannot be independently verified.
There have been multiple reports since the start of the full-scale invasion about attacks within Russia and the Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow.
In October 2023, Ukraine reportedly struck military airfields in occupied Luhansk and Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, with U.S.-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles, destroying nine helicopters.
Among other Russian targets in occupied territories of Luhansk Oblast were also oil storage facilities and the S-400 missile system. Some of the targets have been reportedly hit by U.K.-provided Storm Shadow long-range missiles, capable of reaching deep into Russian-seized territories.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
