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Ukrainian drones hit oil depot in Russia's Kirov Oblast over 1,200 km away, source confirms

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Ukrainian drones hit oil depot in Russia's Kirov Oblast over 1,200 km away, source confirms
Photo for illustrative purposes. A drone operator of Brigade 28th of Ukrainian Army watches a drone landing as he scouts for enemy positions in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, Oct. 3, 2023. (Narciso Contreras/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Ukrainian drones operated by military intelligence (HUR) attacked the Zenit oil depot in Russia's Kirov Oblast on Aug. 28, a HUR source confirmed for the Kyiv Independent.

The attack caused a fire at two oil tanks, the source said, confirming that this is the first drone attack on a Russian facility in Kirov Oblast.

According to Kirov Oblast Governor Alexander Sokolov, Russian air defenses shot down two drones while three others "fell" and started a fire near the Zenit oil facility in the town of Kotelnich. No casualties or damages were reported.

"The target is located more than 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) away from Ukraine's border. The Zenit oil depot is a facility of the enemy military-industrial complex and provides fuel to the Russian occupation forces," the source said.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that air defense also shot down eight drones over Voronezh Oblast and four over Rostov Oblast overnight.

Earlier in the day, a HUR source confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian drones operated by the military intelligence and the Special Operation Forces hit an oil depot in Rostov Oblast, setting it on fire.

The BBC's Russian service reported on Aug. 28 that drones have attacked oil refineries and infrastructure sites in Russia and on Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea, at least 64 times this year.

Fires reported at 2 oil depots in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, local media reports
Fires broke out at two separate oil depots in Russia’s Rostov Oblast in an apparent drone attack on the region, local Russian media reported overnight on Aug. 28.
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Kateryna Denisova

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Kateryna Denisova is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent, covering Ukrainian domestic politics and social issues. She joined the newsroom in 2024 as a news editor following four years at the NV media outlet. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She was also a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.

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