News Feed

Ukrainian drone strikes oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, local official claims

1 min read
Ukrainian drone strikes oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, local official claims
Illustrative image: An operator controls a reusable airstrike drone called Punisher made by the Ukrainian company UA Dynamics during a test in Kyiv region on August 11, 2023 (Sergei Supinsky / AFP) 

A Ukrainian drone struck an oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast igniting one silo, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported on his Telegram channel on Nov. 12.

"Ten fire crews worked at the scene and quickly extinguished the fire," Gladkov said, adding there were no reports of casualties.

The oil depot is located near the city of Stary Oskol, he added.

In recent months, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry, whose profits fuel Moscow's war efforts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's concerted campaign to get permission to use Western-supplied weapons like the U.S-made ATACMs and the U.K's Storm Shadows to strike deep inside Russia has, to date, failed.

However, drones can potentially have an outsized impact when they hit highly flammable and less protected targets, such as ethanol distilleries or fuel depots.

Ukraine in September established the Unmanned Systems Forces, a separate branch of Ukraine's Armed Forces dedicated to drone warfare.

Kyiv said it aims to produce 1 million drones this year, in addition to the thousands pledged by foreign partners.

For 2nd day straight, Russia’s reported losses in Ukraine surge to record levels
The figure surpasses the previous record of 1,770 set just the day before.
Article image
Avatar
Boldizsar Gyori

Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary, currently based in Kharkiv, reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets. He holds degrees in political science, philosophy, and development policy.

Read more
News Feed
Show More