Ukrainian forces struck an oil terminal in Russia’s Belgorod region on Tuesday morning that is used for “military purposes,” according to a local publication.
The Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) was behind the attack on the facility located in the Gubkinsky urban district, which caused a huge blaze and plumes of black smoke to rise into the air, Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed source in intelligence.
Russian media report an explosion at an oil depot in Belgorod region of Russia.
Local governor says that two reservoirs of the oil depot are burning. pic.twitter.com/onbiCqWEx9
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) March 5, 2024
“The oil depot is used for military purposes,” the news outlet said.
Russia has accused Ukraine of being behind a number of strikes on Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, throughout the war. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for attacks on the region, and rarely comments on incidents that occur on Russian soil. Newsweek contacted Ukrainian and Russian authorities for comment by email.
“There is an emergency in the Gubkinsky urban district. After the explosion, a fire was recorded at an infrastructure facility. There were no injuries. Operational and emergency services are working on the spot,” governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on his Telegram channel.
Gladkov didn’t elaborate on which “infrastructure facility” was hit, but multiple Russian Telegram channels including Mash, 112 and “Caution, News,” reported that it was an oil depot which is owned by a subsidiary of Russia’s largest oil producer Rosneft.
Mash reported that two oil tanks were burning and that a fire had broken out.
“The last time the facility was attacked was on February 15th. There was no serious damage then,” the channel said.
Russia’s state-run news agency Tass said one oil tank was damaged after an explosion.
“Staff of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations are working at the scene in the Gubkinsky urban district. According to preliminary data, one tank is damaged, there is no threat of fire spreading,” the press service of the regional ministry of emergency situations said.
State-run news agency RIA Novosti reported that three tanks were on fire, but that one was damaged, citing a source in local emergency services.
There were no reported casualties.
Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
Russia has been hit with waves of drone strikes since President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with some attacks reaching the capital, Moscow. Many strikes have targeted ammunition depots and warehouses. The Kremlin has accused Kyiv of attempting to carry out terrorist attacks using drones.
Ukraine has ramped up attacks on Russian oil hubs and refineries in recent weeks, forcing Moscow to approve a temporary ban on the export of gasoline last month.
On January 18, Ukraine launched a drone attack on a St. Petersburg oil terminal, about 620 miles from the Ukrainian border.
Another Ukrainian drone attack near the city of St. Petersburg on January 21 struck a major gas export terminal—a Novatek PJSC gas-condensate plant in the port Ust-Luga—causing a huge fire, and halting fuel supplies. Ust-Luga is Russia’s largest Baltic port, and Ukraine’s Security Service claimed responsibility for that attack, the Kyiv Post newspaper reported.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.