Ukrainian drones attack two oil depots in Smolensk region of Russia at night

On the night of April 24, the Russian Federation reported alleged drone attacks on 5 regions. Drones of Ukraine's Security Service hit two oil depots in the Smolensk region and destroyed 26,000 cubic meters of Russian fuel

Ukrainian media outlets RBC-Ukraine, Ukrinform, and Ukrainian Pravda (UP) reported this, citing sources in the SBU.

It is noted that last night, drones attacked two Rosneft bases for storing and pumping fuels and lubricants in the settlements of Yartsevo and Rozdorovo in the Smolensk region of the Russian Federation.

According to sources, the operation was carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine.

They emphasized that 26 thousand cubic meters of Russian fuel were stored at the damaged facilities. The powerful explosions were followed by a large-scale fire and evacuation of personnel.

"The SBU continues to effectively destroy the military infrastructure and logistics that provide fuel to the Russian army in Ukraine. These facilities are and will remain our absolutely legitimate targets," the source said.

What Russia claims

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Russian air defense has allegedly destroyed or intercepted eight UAVs, including three over the territory of the Kursk region; two over the Belgorod region; two over the Voronezh region and one over the territory of the Smolensk region.

Lipetsk Governor Igor Artamonov reports on the explosions in the region.

"The criminal Ukrainian regime attempted to strike at the infrastructure in the industrial zone of Lipetsk. It was a single object, there was no threat of attacking a residential area. It was decided not to activate the warning system in the city and to evacuate only the area where the UAV fell," Artamonov wrote.

Instead, the governor of the Smolensk region, Vasily Anokhin, said that the UAV attack probably caused the fire of civilian fuel and energy facilities in the Smolensk and Yartsevsky districts.

According to the Russian Telegram channel SHOT, the first explosion in the Smolensk region occurred at 3:15 am near an oil base near the village of Razdorovo. Approximately 15 minutes later, a second explosion occurred, after which smoke appeared in the area of the industrial facility.

"Around four in the morning, several more loud explosions were heard," the report added.

In addition, the head of the Voronezh region, Alexandr Gusev, reports that Russian air defense forces and electronic warfare (EW) have allegedly "detected and destroyed" four aircraft-type drones. He states that a private house building "caught fire" in one of the urban-type settlements.

"The fire has been localized. According to preliminary information, there are no casualties. The danger of a UAV attack in the region remains," Gusev added.

The head of the Voronezh region said that as a result of the fall of the drone's wreckage in one of the Voronezh villages, a crater of about 1 square meter was allegedly found on the territory of a private household.

"The glass in the house was damaged, the gazebo was destroyed, and the roof was damaged," he wrote.

Gusev also said that one of the drones was shot down on the approach to Voronezh.

Russian media also published a photo, reportedly from Voronezh region, where smoke can be seen rising into the sky near the village, allegedly due to air defense operations against the UAVs.