Representative image (Image: AP)
Ukraine said on Sunday that its drones struck a major oil pipeline transmitter and an oil depot deep inside Russia, as Kiev continued to expand its long-range attacks on Moscow’s energy infrastructure after more than four years of war.According to the Ukrainian military, the drones targeted a “transmission station of a major oil pipeline” in Russia’s Kirov region and an oil depot in the southern Rostov region near Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.The military said the pipeline transports oil from Siberia to western Russia and Belarus.Russian officials confirmed attacks in the two regions. Kirov Region Governor Alexander Sokolov said Ukrainian drones hit a “facility” and caused a fire.
He added that there were no casualties and urged residents to remain calm.In the southern Rostov region, authorities declared a state of emergency in the town of Matveyev-Kurgan after a drone strike caused a massive fire in an oil warehouse, Agence France-Presse reported.City President Dina Alborova said that the fire extended to more than 3,600 square meters. Pictures published by local authorities showed thick black smoke rising from the site.
She added that many residential buildings and shops were damaged by the fire.Meanwhile, Ukraine was dealing with the aftermath of a Russian drone strike on a warehouse belonging to the Nova Pushta courier company in the city of Dnipro.Nova Pushta said one of its branches was hit and that “the building was completely burned.” The company added that no employees were injured in the attack.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike and called for stronger international support.
“All these attacks must stop,” Zelensky said in a social media post while sharing photos of the devastation.He added: “All we need is sufficient support for our defense and to maintain pressure on Russia.”Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian oil and energy facilities in recent months, carrying out strikes hundreds of kilometers from the battlefield. Kiev said such attacks aim to disrupt infrastructure that helps finance the Russian military campaign.
