Ukrainian Drone Strikes Russian Oil Storage Depot, Causing Massive Blaze
In a startling turn of events, a Ukrainian drone launched an attack on an oil storage depot in western Russia, resulting in a massive blaze. The incident occurred on Friday, as tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate ahead of the two-year anniversary of the war. The strike targeted Klintsy, a city located about 40 miles from the Ukrainian border, and caused four oil reservoirs with a total capacity of 1.6 million gallons to catch fire.
The local governor and state news agency Tass confirmed the incident, shedding light on the extent of the damage caused by the drone strike. This attack is seen as part of Ukraine’s recent efforts to unsettle Russians and undermine President Vladimir Putin’s claims that life in Russia is proceeding normally before the upcoming presidential election on March 17.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made it clear that more targets within Russian border regions will be hit this year. Ukrainian officials argue that Russia’s air defenses are concentrated in occupied regions of Ukraine, leaving more distant targets inside Russia vulnerable to attacks as Ukrainian forces develop longer-range drones.
The repercussions of this attack were not limited to the immediate area. The Russian city of Belgorod, which is also situated near the Ukrainian border, canceled its traditional Orthodox Epiphany festivities due to the looming threat of Ukrainian drone strikes. This marks the first time major public events have been called off in Russia due to the drone threat.
Reports from Ukrainian national media suggest that Ukrainian drones also targeted a gunpowder mill in Tambov, located approximately 370 miles south of Moscow. However, Tambov Gov. Maxim Yegorov denied any disruption to the plant’s operations, contradicting the Ukrainian claims. Another strike occurred on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, where a Ukrainian drone was shot down by Russian forces. The wreckage fell on the premises of the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, confirming suspicions that the drone was targeting the facility.
The attack on the oil storage depot in Klintsy follows a similar incident that took place in May of last year. However, the damage caused by the previous attack was reportedly less significant. In a tragic turn of events, Russian shelling in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region claimed the lives of a 57-year-old woman, while a man was killed by a landmine. These incidents serve as a reminder of the ongoing violence and loss of life in the region.
The Ukrainian drone strike on the oil storage depot has once again highlighted the vulnerability of certain regions within Russia. As Ukrainian forces continue to develop longer-range drones, it is evident that Russia’s air defenses are unable to adequately protect these areas. The consequences of these attacks extend beyond physical damage, as they also aim to undermine President Putin’s claims of normalcy within Russia. With tensions escalating and further attacks promised by President Zelenskyy, it remains to be seen how Russia will respond and whether this conflict will escalate further.
