Ukrainian drone strike ignites fire at Russian oil depot: Governor
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Russia's Defense Ministry says that 68 Ukrainian UAVs had been downed overnight, with 10 of them destroyed over the Smolensk region.
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Ukrainian soldiers of the 22nd mechanized brigade prepare to start the Poseidon H10 middle-range UAV at the front line, near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)
A Ukrainian drone attack in western Russia led to a fuel spill and fire at an oil depot, according to a statement from a Russian regional governor on Tuesday.
Vasily Anokhin, the governor of Smolensk region, which borders Ukraine, reported that Russian air defense systems had "suppressed an attack by Ukrainian drones" in the Yartsevo district.
However, "the wreckage of one of the unmanned aerial vehicles fell on the territory of an oil depot, causing a fuel spill and igniting a fire in the fuel and lubricants," Anokhin shared on social media early Tuesday.
He also mentioned that emergency services were still working to contain the fire, but assured that there was "no threat" to nearby residential areas.
Driving the news
Russia's Defense Ministry stated on Tuesday that 68 Ukrainian UAVs had been downed overnight, with 10 of them destroyed over the Smolensk region.
Since the war began nearly three years ago, Kiev has targeted several Russian energy facilities, justifying these strikes as retaliation for Moscow’s large-scale attacks on Ukraine's electricity grid. Russian border regions are frequently hit by Ukrainian aerial assaults, with both sides intensifying their attacks in recent months.
This drone strike occurred a day after Russia and Ukraine exchanged more than 300 prisoners of war in an operation facilitated by the United Arab Emirates ahead of New Year’s Eve. The exchange marked one of the few areas of cooperation between the two sides since the war began in February 2022.
Russian air defenses intercept 3 HIMARS, 104 drones from Ukraine
On Saturday, Moscow's Defense Ministry said Russian air defense systems have successfully downed three US-supplied HIMARS rockets and 104 fixed-wing drones.
According to the ministry's statement, 57 of the drones were shot down outside the designated special military operation zone.
"Air defense units shot down three US-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles and 104 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, including 57 outside the special military operation zone," the ministry said.
Russian forces also targeted and struck key Ukrainian military infrastructure, including a military airfield, a fuel and lubricants depot, as well as clusters of military personnel and equipment across 148 areas, the ministry added.
The announcement comes as Ukraine grapples with a significant shortage of drones, which has been compounded by a lack of funding.
