Fire Rips Through Russian Oil Depot Deep Behind Frontline
December 31, 2024
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A fire has broken out at a Russian oil depot deep behind the frontline in Kursk, according to the Kyiv Independent. The oil depot in Yartsevo in Russia’s Smolensk region caught on fire on December 31 after a drone attack overnight. The region is approximately 500 km from Kursk.
Newsweek reached out to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for comment via email.
A fire at a Russian oil depot in Belgorod, Russia in 2022. A Ukrainian drone strike in Smolensk resulted in a fire at the oil depot in the area. A fire at a Russian oil depot in Belgorod, Russia in 2022. A Ukrainian drone strike in Smolensk resulted in a fire at the oil depot in the area. Taisia Liskovets/Associated Press
Why It Matters
Ukraine’s attack on the Russian oil depot in Smolensk is significant because it is representative of Kyiv’s increasing efforts to damage Russia’s oil facilities and in turn, hurt the production of their key export, which has been funding the war effort. As a result of these attacks, Russia’s average daily production of crude oil in 2024 hit 1,254 metric tons per day, its lowest since 2005. President Joe Biden’s authorization for Ukraine to utilize long-range weapons in deep strikes on Russian territory has allowed Kyiv to conduct strikes of this nature.
What To Know
Multiple explosions in Smolensk and in the western city of Oryol were also heard overnight. Vasily Anokhin, the governor of Smolensk, later confirmed the fire in a post on Telegram and wrote that the “wreckage of one of the unmanned aerial vehicles fell on the territory of an oil depot. As a result, a fuel spill occurred and a fire started in the fuel and lubricants.”
Anokhin said that Russian forces suppressed the drone attack and that rescue services were deployed. Russia’s Defense Ministry has said that 68 Ukrainian UAVs were downed overnight, with 10 in the Smolensk region, as reported by the Kyiv Post.
Located nearly 400 miles from Russia’s capital, Smolensk shares borders with numerous regions in Russia and Belarus. Roman Zakharov, the head of the Yartsevo district, also confirmed the presence of the fire at the oil depot after the drone attack by forwarding Anokhin’s message on Telegram.
This attack on an oil depot in Smolensk is one of many Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil depots in recent months, an in attempt to eradicate Moscow’s resources that are funding the war. Ukraine launched a drone attack in Oryol, north of Kursk, and hit an oil depot that Kyiv has said supplies the Russian military last week. Ukraine also hit the same depot in Oryol earlier this month in another drone attack which resulted in explosions.
What People Are Saying
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the account WarTranslated (Dmitry) wrote: “‘You have a missed call.’ On December 31, Ukrainian drones targeted an oil depot in the Yartsevo district of Russia’s Smolensk region. Shortly after the attack, a fire broke out. The Governor of Smolensk Region claims that all drones were successfully shot down, and the fire was caused by falling debris.”
Igor Sushko, a Ukrainian living in the U.S., wrote: “Russia: Ukrainian drone strikes on oil depots in Smolensk and Orlov regions.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen how the damage to the oil depot in Smolensk will affect Russia’s war effort and exports.
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