Ukrainian drones strike Russia’s Polevaya oil depot in Kursk Oblast

Ukrainian drones carried out an attack on an oil depot in Russia's Kursk Oblast overnight, resulting in fires at three fuel tanks. Ukraine's General Staff attributed this attack to the country's SBU security service. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that air defense systems intercepted and destroyed five drones over Belgorod Oblast and two over Kursk Oblast. This year, Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks against the Russian oil industry, significantly disrupting fuel supplies crucial for the Russian military, while simultaneously decreasing the Kremlin’s export revenues. Acting Governor of Kursk Oblast, Roman Smirnov, confirmed the attack, stating that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles targeted the oil depot in Kursk district. He reported that no residents or workers at the industrial facility were injured. As of the latest update, the fire in one tank had been extinguished, with efforts continuing to contain the remaining fires. Smirnov also claimed that debris from a downed drone caused a fire in a house in the Medvenka settlement of the Medvensky district, with no injuries to residents. Additionally, he mentioned an incident in Sudzha where an explosive device was allegedly dropped from a Ukrainian drone on a residential building, injuring a local resident who was taken to the Sudzha district hospital for medical treatment. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the strike on the oil depot, revealing that the operation was carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine's unit "A" in coordination with other defense forces. According to their statement, the Polevaya oil depot in Kursk Oblast was targeted. The GenStaff says intelligence reports indicated that enemy air defense systems were active in the area of the facility, followed by powerful explosions and a fire, likely involving fuel containers. Polevaya is located a few kilometers southeast of Kursk and about 100 km away from Ukraine's border.

The Ukrainian General Staff provided details about the oil depot, stating it consists of 11 reservoirs with a total volume of 7,000 cubic meters and is used, in part, to supply the needs of the Russian armed forces. They also mentioned reports of powerful explosions near an electrical substation in Kursk Oblast, with details of the impact on both objects still being clarified.

This was not the first attack on the Polevaya oil depot. On 14-15 February 2024, the facility was previously targeted by drones, resulting in fires in two diesel fuel tanks with capacities of 1,000 and 400 cubic meters, as per Astra. Related:

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