Ukraine strikes oil depot in Russia's Smolensk Oblast, General Staff confirms

Ukraine struck an oil depot in the Yartsevo district of Russia's Smolensk Oblast, igniting the facility's oil reserves, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed on Dec. 31.

The depot, which supplies the Russian military, was targeted in a coordinated operation involving Ukraine's Special Operations Forces and the Unmanned Systems Forces.

The strike resulted in "powerful explosions, a fire, and heavy smoke" at the site, according to the report. It did not specify which type of weapon was used in the attack.

The confirmation follows reports from regional authorities detailing the damage caused by an overnight Ukrainian drone attack.

Roman Zakharov, head of the Yartsevo district, had previously reported on his Telegram channel that a Ukrainian drone targeted the fuel depot and an energy facility, sparking fires.

The attack is the latest in a series of strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.

Another overnight drone strike on Dec. 22 targeted an oil depot near the city of Oryol in western Russia. Videos shared on social media captured large explosions, though the extent of the damage remained unclear.

Just a week earlier, on Dec. 14, Ukrainian drones had struck the same oil depot in Oryol, causing several fires, which the General Staff confirmed to be one of Russia's largest oil product terminals.

Similarly, on Dec. 11, Ukrainian forces targeted an oil-loading pipeline near the Russian city of Bryansk, setting it ablaze.

Over the past year, Ukraine has escalated its drone strikes on Russia's oil industry, seeking to undermine Moscow's capacity to sustain its war efforts and supply its military operations.

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The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk