Ukrainian drone attacks oil depot, major pipeline facility in Russia
Ukraine said on Sunday its drones struck a major oil pipeline dispatch station and an oil depot inside Russia, as Kiev continued expanding long-range attacks on Moscow’s energy infrastructure more than four years after the war.According to the Ukrainian military, the drones targeted a “dispatch station of a major oil pipeline” in Russia’s Kirov region and an oil depot in the southern Rostov region near Russian-held parts of Ukraine.The military said the pipeline carries oil from Siberia to western Russia and Belarus.Russian officials confirmed the attacks in both regions. Kirov region governor Alexander Sokolov said Ukrainian drones attacked a “facility” and caused a fire. He said there were no injuries and urged residents to remain calm.Authorities declared a state of emergency in the city of Matveyev-Kurgan after a massive fire broke out at an oil depot following a drone strike in the southern Rostov region, AFP reports.City chief Dina Alborova said the fire spread over an area of more than 3,600 square metres. Pictures released by local authorities showed thick black smoke billowing from the scene.He said several residential buildings and shops were affected by the fire.Meanwhile, Ukraine was dealing with the aftermath of a Russian drone attack on a warehouse of courier company Nova Poshta in the city of Dnipro.Nova Poshta said one of its branches was attacked and “the building was completely burned down”. The company said no employees were injured in the attack.ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky Condemned the strike and called for strong international support. “All these attacks must be stopped,” Zelensky said in a social media post sharing photos of the destruction.“Our defense requires substantial support and sustained pressure on Russia,” he said.Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian oil and energy facilities in recent months with attacks hundreds of kilometers from the battlefield. Kiev argued that such attacks are aimed at disrupting infrastructure that helps finance Russia’s military campaign.