Ukraine hit Russia’s major oil depot and artillery arsenal as explosions rock multiple Russian cities in latest overnight drone assault (VIDEO, MAP)

A series of drone attacks targeted several Russian regions overnight on 6 January, with multiple explosions, fires, and strikes on industrial sites reported by locals and regional officials, according to Exilenova+ and Astra. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its air defenses allegedly shot down 129 drones over Russian territory and occupied Crimea.

Fire confirmed at oil facility in Lipetsk Oblast

The most visible damage came in Lipetsk Oblast, where a fire broke out at the Usman oil depot following a drone attack. The site located in Streletskie Khutora near Usman is involved in the storage, sale, and transport of petroleum products.

Residents reported explosions and fire, with footage published by the Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ showing tall flames over the industrial site. Russian news channel Astra analyzed the footage and identified the burning facility as the Usman oil base. Governor Igor Artamonov confirmed a fire at an industrial site in the Usman district, saying it followed the “fall of a drone,” but did not specify the exact object. The blaze reportedly involved a tank area on the depot’s premises.

Strike on GRAU arsenal in Kostroma Oblast

Exilenova+ reported a successful drone strike on Russia's 100th arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) in the town of Neya, Kostroma Oblast, overnight on 6 January.

The channel noted doubts about the strike due to explosions continuing all night, but the governor later confirmed evacuations from locations near the GRAU site. Exilenova+ stated this was likely a successful hit and shared photos of a large plume of black smoke. The same arsenal had been targeted before. It supplies ammunition stocks for Russia’s western and central directions, which are then distributed to lower-level bases.

Damage reported at Penza transport site

In Penza, locals heard a series of explosions — reportedly around 10 — and observed bright flashes and the sound of drones in the sky. While early speculation suggested possible hits on the Biomintez plant or a bearing factory, Astra later stated that a drone had likely struck a site within the GATP-2 enterprise in the Shuist district. According to Astra, GATP-2 is a cargo transport company whose premises are leased by various businesses. No official confirmation of damage was issued by local authorities, but Astra asserted the location based on its sources.

Drone activity reported near sensitive sites, no confirmed hits 

A series of explosions occurred in Sterlitamak, Bashkortostan, around 5 a.m. The city is home to the large Sterlitamaksky Petrochemical Plant (SNKhZ), which produces aviation fuel and other chemicals used in Russia’s military-industrial complex. Locals reported blasts, and Exilenova+ published video from the area. However, there has been no confirmation of a direct hit on the facility during this incident.

In Yaroslavl, explosions were heard in the Neftestroy district, where oil facilities are located. Readers of Astra reported the sounds, but no confirmed impact or damage has been reported so far.

In Tver, a drone crashed into a residential building, allegedly killing one person and injuring two. Russian authorities stated the drone’s debris caused the impact. Astra noted the building lies just one kilometer from the Tver Railcar Plant, one of Russia’s main train equipment manufacturers, raising the possibility that it was the intended target. No strike on the plant itself was confirmed.

Infrastructure disrupted in Voronezh and Leningrad oblasts

In Voronezh Oblast, debris from a downed drone fell onto railway tracks, delaying multiple trains and damaging what the governor described as an “infrastructure object.” He said the wreckage had been suppressed by electronic warfare systems before crashing.

In Leningrad Oblast’s Volkhov district, drone fragments reportedly landed near Berezhki village on the territory of a compressor station. The governor claimed electronic warfare disabled the drone, causing it to crash. No injuries or fire occurred, but police cordoned off the site, and damage is being assessed.