The strikes on the two fuel storage and pumping bases in the Smolensk region, some 500 km from the border with Ukraine. Attacks on facilities of Russian oil giant Rosneft resulted in the loss of 26,000 cubic meters of Russian fuel, the official said.
“After powerful explosions, a large-scale fire and evacuation of personnel began at the facility,” they continued.
Smolensk Governor Vasily Anokhin confirmed that Ukrainian drones had hit energy facilities in the region, later adding that there were no casualties but that Russian emergency services had to deploy three fire trains to put out fires.
“Fires occurred as a result of an enemy attack on civilian fuel and energy facilities in the Smolenskiy and Yartsevkiy districts,” Anokhin said in a Telegram statement. “The fire is localized, there is no threat of spreading beyond objects,” Anokhin added.
Since the beginning of 2024, Ukrainian media have counted 13 attacks on oil refineries in nine regions of Russia.
“We have already reduced oil production and processing in Russia by 12%. We continue to work and the country of gas stations continues to burn,” the head of Ukraine’s security services, Vasyl Malyuk, told Ukrainian media in March.
The Russian government imposed a six-month ban on fuel exports, which began on March 1 and will last until August 31.
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