Ukraine reportedly strikes oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast, targets Belgorod with missiles, leaving blackouts
Editor's note: Feb. 19, 11:35 a.m. Kyiv time: This story has been updated with information obtained from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)
Ukraine reportedly struck an oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast and launched missiles at the Russian city of Belgorod, causing power outages in parts of the city, Telegram news channels and local authorities reported overnight Feb. 18-19.
"Unfortunately, there's been another massive missile attack on energy facilities in the city of Belgorod. There are major damages. We can see that there's a partial loss of electricity and heat, so we're currently investigating," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed late on Feb. 18.
The city is located just 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia.
Explosions and fires were reported overnight on Feb. 19 at an oil depot in the town of Velikiye Luki in northwestern Russia's Pskov Oblast, according to Telegram news channel Exilenova+.
A source from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent that the attack on the oil depot in Velikiye Luki was the work of their "Alpha" UAV unit, which managed to make their way through the anti-drone nets spread over the facility.
"Such operations are an element of systematic weakening of the military potential of the Russian Federation," the SBU source wrote in a statement.
Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep within Russia in an effort to diminish Moscow's fighting power as the Kremlin continues to wage its war against Ukraine.
Kyiv considers energy infrastructure to be a military target as they directly fund Russia's war.
Belgorod has repeatedly come under fire throughout the duration of Russia's full-scale war and in recent weeks.
Strikes were reported overnight Feb. 2 in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, where officials claimed a Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire in the city of Stary Oskol.
On Feb. 6, blackouts and heating outages were reported in Russia's Belgorod Oblast overnight following a reported missile attack that damaged key energy infrastructure.
Additional blackouts and heating outages were reported in Belgorod on Feb. 7 after alleged attacks on a local thermal power plant and electrical substation.
Drone attacks targeted several regions across Russia overnight on Feb. 17, including the Ilsky oil refinery in southern Russia's Krasnodar Krai, where a large fire broke out following reported strikes, according to Ukraine's General Staff, local authorities, and social media.
Ukraine carried out strikes on an oil terminal in southern Russia and a Russian air defense system in occupied Crimea overnight on Feb. 14–15, according to Ukraine's military intelligence.
