Drone Strike Ignites Massive Fire at Oil Depot in Russia’s Smolensk Region

In the early hours of December 31, a drone strike targeted an oil depot in the town of Yartsevo, Smolensk Region, Russia. The attack resulted in a fire at the facility, prompting an emergency response.

According to Roman Zakharov, head of the Yartsevo district, drones struck a fuel and energy infrastructure facility, causing a fire. “Emergency services are currently on-site, working to extinguish the open flames,” Zakharov stated in his Telegram channel.

The governor of Smolensk Region, Vasily Anokhin, later issued a statement suggesting the fire was caused by debris from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). “Air defense systems of the Russian Ministry of Defense neutralized a UAV attack in the Yartsevo district. Preliminary information indicates that debris from one of the drones fell on the oil depot, resulting in a fuel spill and subsequent fire,” Anokhin said.

Unverified videos and photographs circulating online reportedly show explosions and the fire at the oil depot in Yartsevo. Local residents reported hearing multiple loud blasts beginning around 3:40 a.m., with over ten explosions noted before the fire erupted.

While no direct attribution has been made, Serhii Bratchuk, a representative of Ukraine’s Volunteer Army South, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on social media. Bratchuk described the operation as a continuation of previous strikes on the same facility, referencing a similar attack in April 2024.

Earlier, drone strikes targeted an oil depot in the village of Stalnoy Kon near Oryol, Russia, igniting a fire at the facility. The depot, linked to the Druzhba pipeline network, is a critical part of the regional fuel supply chain.