Ukraine attacked an oil depot near a key military airfield in southern Russia on Wednesday, the Ukrainian military said, the latest attack in a campaign to inflict pain inside the country, even as Kiev’s forces are on the battlefield. I am losing on home ground.
The military said it had struck the Cristal oil storage facility in Engels, about 300 miles from the border between the two countries. It said the depot supplied fuel to the Engels airfield, which it said is a staging ground for Russia’s long-running attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and which provides fuel for some of Russia’s long-range K, hosts nuclear-capable bombers.
A Russian official wrote on the Telegram messaging app that a “large-scale” drone attack had occurred Engels targetedSaratov region governor Roman Busargin said air defense had stopped the drone but it did not. falling debris An “industrial facility” was attacked and set on fire. No one was hurt, Mr. Busargin wrote.
A video broadcast on Telegram and verified by The New York Times showed several structures on fire at the Cristal facility, which is about five miles from Engels airfield. Other videos verified by the Times showed multiple explosions and huge plumes of smoke rising into the sky.
Kiev has repeatedly targeted airspace in an attempt to limit attacks on Ukraine’s energy system, which have plunged cities into darkness, damaged the Ukrainian grid and left authorities scrambling for alternative power options. Have been forced to.
The latest attack comes as Ukrainian forces press for a fresh offensive in the Kursk region of western Russia. Both sides have reported fierce fighting over the past few days in Kursk, where Ukrainian troops captured nearly 500 square miles of territory in a surprise cross-border incursion last summer.
Russia has since recovered about half of its lost territory. Analysts have said that the renewed aggressive stance by newly elected President Donald J. Ukraine appears to be attempting to regain momentum and show strength ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
Mr Trump has vowed to quickly end the war without recapture. This has raised concerns that his administration could cut off military aid to Ukraine. The Biden administration is rushing to get additional aid to Kiev before Mr Trump takes the oath of office on January 20.
On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III was traveling to Germany for a meeting Thursday with a coalition of allies, which he called to discuss Ukraine’s security needs following a full-scale invasion by Russia in 2022. It will be Mr Austin’s 25th and last meeting with the group, which includes about 50 countries.
The meeting will focus on “the need to ensure continued delivery of key capabilities, including air defense systems, artillery weapons and armored vehicles.” According to the Pentagon,
Asked by reporters on Wednesday whether there were any concerns about the future of the alliance after Mr. Trump takes office, Pentagon officials Said He was confident that European allies would continue the work – even if the new US administration reduced its support.
Although the scale of the new Kursk offensive is unclear, military analysts have suggested it may also be an attempt to force Russia to remove troops from the front line in eastern Ukraine, where they could occupy new ground. Constantly weakening the security of Kiev. ,
On Monday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces had captured Kurakhov, a strategic town in eastern Ukraine, after months of heavy fighting.
Sanjana Varghese Contributed to the reporting.