Ukrainian drone strikes damage two oil depots in Russia
- 21 June, 07:02
Ukrainian drones struck two Russian oil refineries on Thursday, setting them ablaze. The governor of Russia’s Tambov region, Maksim Yegorov, confirmed an explosion and fire at the Platonovskaya oil depot that morning.
"Early this morning there was an explosion and a tank caught fire on the territory of the Platonovskaya oil depot," he said on his Telegram channel, adding that emergency services were working to tackle the blaze and that there were no casualties.
A fire broke out at an oil depot in the village of Enem, Adygea Republic, early Thursday morning. While it spread to an area of roughly 400 square meters, regional governor Murat Kumpilov reported on Telegram that it was quickly extinguished around 6 a.m. local time.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) have claimed responsibility for a series of strikes on Russian oil refineries that began in January. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna justified strikes on Russian oil refineries in March, arguing that they are legitimate military targets due to their role in fueling President Vladimir Putin’s war economy.
While Ukraine has targeted Russian oil refineries, reports suggest that U.S. officials have asked them to refrain from doing so to prevent potential disruptions to the global fuel market. The Pentagon’s intelligence agency recently estimated that these attacks have already disrupted at least 14 percent of Russia’s oil refinery capacity.
Drone strikes have targeted at least 40 Russian oil depots and refineries since the start of the year, according to The Moscow Times, including some of the nation’s largest facilities.
