Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) have confirmed a drone strike on a key oil depot in Russia’s Oryol region, targeting critical energy infrastructure. The attack, which occurred on Friday, sparked a significant fire at the facility.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the strike hit the Stalnoy Kon linear production-dispatching station, located in a village on the outskirts of Oryol city, approximately 165 kilometers inside Russian territory and 230 miles southeast of Moscow. Ukrainian officials stated that the facility is part of Russia’s military-industrial complex and provides fuel to the Russian military.
The Ukrainian SSO emphasized the careful planning of the operation, stating via Telegram: “After carefully planning the operation, SSO personnel successfully struck a linear production-dispatching station, resulting in a powerful fire.”
Footage shared on social media depicted clouds of thick smoke billowing into the night sky as the fire continued to burn.
Oryol, oil depot. December 14, 2024 pic.twitter.com/FJ4G1dTMDn
— Russia on fire (@russiasonfire) December 14, 2024
Oryol regional governor Andrey Klychkov confirmed the attack on Telegram, stating that Russian anti-air defenses had intercepted 11 Ukrainian drones during the incident. Emergency services worked to contain the fire, which was reported to be under control by 5:00 a.m. local time.
“There are no casualties, and emergency services are carrying out additional work to completely eliminate the consequences,” Klychkov said, adding, “Fortunately, there are no victims from today’s attack.” However, reports from OSINT analysts suggested the fire continued to burn for hours, with local sources describing it as “out of control.”
Ukrainian attack drones successfully struck a large Russian oil depot this evening in the city of Oryol.
Local sources report that the post-strike fire is currently burning out of control. pic.twitter.com/0Zykeiaxci
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) December 13, 2024
The oil terminal in Stalnoy Kon is considered one of the largest in the Oryol region and plays a key role in supplying fuel to Russian forces. Ukrainian officials noted its importance within Russia’s military-industrial network, underscoring its relevance as a legitimate military target.
This strike follows a pattern of Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on Russian military and energy infrastructure. By targeting fuel depots, Ukraine aims to disrupt Russia’s supply chains and war machine, which rely heavily on oil reserves to sustain operations.
