Moscow/Kyiv: A Ukrainian drone attack set an oil depot ablaze in the Kamensky district of Russia’s Rostov region, the local governor confirmed on Wednesday. The fire was reported after media circulated news of multiple tanks engulfed in flames.
“There are no casualties,” stated Governor Vasily Golubev on the Telegram messaging app. “Firefighters are currently extinguishing the fire.”
While Russian air defense units reported destroying four drones over the region overnight, the Russian defense ministry did not mention any attack on the oil depot in its statement.
Earlier reports from the Baza Telegram channel, which is closely linked to Russia’s security services, indicated that three tanks were burning at the Kamensky oil depot after two drones reportedly fell in the area. Videos shared on Russian social media appeared to show large tanks engulfed in flames at night. Reuters was able to verify that one of the videos was filmed in Rostov’s Kamensky district.
Ukraine has not commented on the incident.
This recent attack follows an earlier assault in early August on a fuel storage depot in the Kamensky district. Additionally, Russian Telegram channels reported that tanks were still burning at another oil depot in Rostov’s Proletarsk district, nearly ten days after a previous Ukrainian attack.
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In a separate incident, Alexander Gusev, the governor of the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine, reported that debris from a Ukrainian-launched drone caused a fire “near explosive objects” in the area. However, no detonation occurred, and the fire was successfully extinguished. Gusev added that residents who had been evacuated from two nearby settlements were allowed to return to their homes.
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The Russian defense ministry also reported that eight attack drones were destroyed over the Voronezh region, but provided no further details.
Russian officials often withhold the full extent of damage caused by Ukrainian attacks. Both Ukraine and Russia deny targeting civilians in the 30-month-old conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv maintains that its airstrikes are aimed at destroying critical energy, transport, and military infrastructure vital to Moscow’s war efforts.
