Ukrainian drones have targeted a major Russian fuel depot in the Oryol region for the second time in just over a week, marking a significant escalation in Kyiv’s cross-border drone strikes aimed at Russian military infrastructure. The attack, which occurred on Sunday, hit the Stalnoy Kon oil terminal, causing a massive fire that lit up the night sky. This marks the second drone strike on the same depot this month.
Russian officials confirmed that the fire, which broke out after the strike, was extinguished hours later, and there were no reported casualties or significant damage. The attack, however, further underscores the intensifying drone warfare between Ukraine and Russia as the conflict nears its third anniversary.
In response to the drone strikes, Russian forces reportedly downed 20 Ukrainian drones targeting the region’s fuel and energy infrastructure. Despite these efforts, video footage, shared by independent news outlets, showed a massive blaze at the terminal, which was later confirmed by a Ukrainian security official as coming from the Oryol region.
The drone assault on the Stalnoy Kon terminal is part of a broader series of attacks launched by Ukraine on Russian fuel and energy facilities. These strikes are aimed at disrupting Russia’s military supply chain, particularly as the country continues to target Ukraine’s already-damaged energy grid.
The Oryol region is not the only site of cross-border strikes. In a recent statement, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that Ukrainian drones also targeted other key areas, including Russian military positions and infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia continues its drone attacks on Ukraine’s cities, including strikes on Kherson, Kharkiv, and Kyiv, which have left civilian casualties and damage in their wake.
On Saturday, Russian drone attacks on Ukraine’s southern Kherson province resulted in the deaths of two civilians, with a man in his late 40s dying from explosives dropped by a drone and a woman found dead after another drone strike hit her home.
In Kharkiv, a 56-year-old man sustained severe injuries in a Russian drone strike, and emergency crews are attempting to save his limbs. Russian drones have continued to target critical infrastructure, including a fire ignited on the roof of a 25-story building in the Kyiv suburb of Brovary after debris from a Russian drone struck the structure. Fortunately, no casualties were reported from the fire.
Ukraine’s Air Force has intensified its defense efforts, shooting down 52 of 103 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia on Sunday. Another 44 drones failed to reach their targets, possibly due to Ukraine’s electronic jamming tactics.
In another front of the ongoing conflict, Russian forces have continued their offensive in Ukraine’s northeast, with reports of Russian troops capturing the settlements of Lozova in the Kharkiv region and Krasne in the Luhansk province. Ukrainian officials have yet to confirm these territorial losses.
This continued cycle of drone strikes and air assaults highlights the escalating nature of the conflict, as both Ukraine and Russia engage in relentless air and ground attacks with little sign of a ceasefire on the horizon. With the war entering its third year, the toll on both sides remains heavy, and the battle for energy and military supremacy intensifies.
As winter approaches, both Ukraine and Russia face increasing challenges to their civilian and military infrastructures, with Kyiv continuing its efforts to disrupt Russian supply lines while enduring Russian strikes on vital energy networks. The situation remains dire, and there is no end in sight to the ongoing conflict.
Sources By Agencies
