Overnight on 18 August, Ukrainian drones targeted the "Kavkaz" oil depot, also known as "FDKU Kombinat Kavkaz," in Proletarsk, Rostov Oblast, which stores oil and petroleum products, including supplies for the Russian military. The facility has 74 storage tanks, and the massive fire, now in its sixth day, initially engulfed at least 22 of them, with several fuel tank explosions on 21 and 22 August intensifying the blaze.
As of the time of publication of this article, Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev had not issued any statements today. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed shooting down four drones over Belgorod Oblast and three over Kursk Oblast overnight but did not mention any in Rostov Oblast.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1827038151497425254/
A day earlier, Eto Rostov Novosti warned about the potential explosion of kerosene tanks at the Proletarsk oil depot, describing it as "much more dangerous" than diesel fires that have been raging at the facility for almost a week. The fire was reportedly approaching the kerosene tanks, raising concerns about a possible explosion that could surpass previous ones in power.
Ukraine's strategic operations against Russia's military logistics and supplies
This year, Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks against the Russian oil industry primarily targeting oil refineries, thus significantly disrupting fuel supplies crucial for the Russian military, while simultaneously decreasing the Kremlin’s export revenues. Lately, Ukraine has been striking Russian oil depots, supplying Russian troops with fuel and various military facilities, focusing on aerial ammunition depots at Russian airfields.
Among the latest targeted oil depots in Russia were those in Gubkinskaya, Belrogod Oblast, on 5 August, a facility near Kamensk-Shaktinsky, Rostov Oblast, on 3 August, and in Polevaya, Kursk Oblast, on 27 July. Additionally, the Ukrainian Navy destroyed the last remaining Russian railway ferry in the Kerch Strait, significantly degrading Russian fuel logistics for occupied Crimea.
The latest targeted Russian air bases were Volgograd's Marinovka on 22 August, Savasleyka on 16 August, Lipetsk on 9 August, and Rostov's Morozovsk on 6 August.
Also, Ukraine continues to target Russian air defense assets to remove more threats for its recently received F-16 fighter jets.
Related:
- Russia’s Marinovka air base attacked by SBU and SOF, bomb and fuel depots destroyed, source reveals
- Massive fire engulfs Russian oil depot after Ukrainian drone strike, spreads over 10,000 square meters
- Fires and detonations at Russia’s Marinovka airbase after drone attack (video)
- Fuel depot fire in Russia’s Rostov region expands on second day after drone attack
- Oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast latest target in Ukrainian drone campaign
- Drone debris cause fuel depot fire in Russia’s Rostov Oblast
