Drones struck the Velikolukskaya oil depot in Velikiye Luki, Pskov Oblast, overnight on 19 February, setting fuel tanks ablaze about 500 km north of the Ukrainian border despite anti-drone nets Russians had installed over the facility. Sources in Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) told multiple Ukrainian outlets the strike was carried out by the Ukrainian Security Service's Alpha special operations center.
Drones pierced anti-drone nets
Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ began sharing footage of the fire shortly after midnight on 19 February, documenting the moment of impact and the growing blaze. An earlier photo of the facility published by the channel showed anti-drone protective netting stretched over the depot's fuel tanks — with the caption "Didn't help."
Russian news Telegram channel Astra confirmed the fire through its own OSINT analysis. The chhnnel geolocated one of the eyewitness videos to the Velikiye Luki meat processing plant, about 300 meters from the depot.
Workers at the plant appeared to be fleeing in the footage filmed in the first minutes after the strike.
"Clusterf*ck. Let's all run away! Vietnam, let's run!" a woman's voice says in the video, addressing the workers.
"Several drones pierced the protective netting, after which a large fire broke out," Astra said.
The Velikolukskaya oil depot, located at 19 Liteinaya Street, belongs to Pskovnefteprodukt LLC. It stores diesel, gasoline, and other petroleum products for distribution to gas station networks, enterprises, and transport companies across the area. Exilenova+ noted the facility sits near a railway junction important for Russian logistics. The depot was previously attacked by drones in April 2024.
SBU claims the strike, Russian authorities confirm fire, call it "civilian infrastructure"
A source in the SBU told several Ukrainian media outlets that drones from the SBU's Alpha special operations center struck the depot overnight. The source said at least four explosions were recorded, triggering a large-scale fire and mass evacuations from neighboring businesses. Anti-drone nets stretched over the fuel tanks "did not stop the SBU drones," the source added.
"The SBU continues to methodically work on facilities that supply the Russian army with fuel," the source stated. "The destruction of oil depots directly affects the enemy's ability to conduct combat operations, advance, and transfer reserves."
Pskov Oblast Governor Mikhail Vedernikov confirmed a fuel tank caught fire following the nighttime strike. He claimed no casualties. However, Vedernikov initially framed the attack differently, writing on social media that drones attacked "civilian infrastructure" in Velikiye Luki and urging residents to stay away from windows and seek shelter.
Russian MoD omits Pskov from its report
Russia's defense ministry claimed on the morning of 19 February that it shot down 113 Ukrainian drones overnight across Russian oblasts. The tally did not mention Pskov Oblast, where the oil depot fire was burning.
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