Ukrainian Intel Confirms It Struck Russian Oil Depot and Gunpowder Factory

Ukraine’s military intelligence has confirmed it was behind drone attacks that left an oil depot in the Bryansk region of Russia ablaze and damaged a gunpowder factory in Tambov.

When asked if it was behind the strikes, a source in the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), told Kyiv Post: “Yes. The oil depot is on fire, and (damage) is being clarified at the (Tambov) plant.”

In the morning, local Russian Telegram channels shared footage of a fire at an oil depot in the city of Klints, Bryansk region.

The Russian defense ministry had claimed the drone was “destroyed,” and the Ukrainian attack was “foiled.”

Later, the governor of the region, Oleksandr Bogomaz, confirmed the attack on the facility which is owned by Rosneft, saying that the Russian military “was able to suppress the drone by means of radio-electronic warfare.”

Bogomaz claimed that when the drone was destroyed, it managed to drop ammunition on the oil depot, as a result of which the fuel tanks caught fire. Russian sources report that there were no casualties.

A video released by the governor and reposted on social media shows that the fire at the oil depot is significant, with a huge column of black smoke visible.

Russian Telegram channels also reported an attack on the Tambov powder factory located in the city of Kotovsk. This plant is one of Russia’s largest producers of gunpowder for small arms and artillery ammunition.

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According to Russian mass media, after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company increased its production by 34 percent. Since January last year, the plant has been part of the Rostec state corporation.

Russian Telegram channels indicate that the drone allegedly “fell” on the territory of the powder factory, namely on the site near the powder mixing shop.

“There were no injuries or damage, but the staff was still evacuated for safety,” the report said.

According to Russian media, there have been two explosions at the enterprise over the past year: in June and November last year. In the first case, four people died, and the cause of the explosion was allegedly a human factor.

Later, the head of the Tambov region, Maksym Egorov, said that the plant is allegedly working as usual, and “the situation is under control.”

Prior to this, a source in the special services informed Kyiv Post that on the night of Jan. 18, Ukraine attacked the Russian oil depot in St. Petersburg with drones.

As a result of the operation, the drones hit the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, which is the largest Russian oil product transshipment terminal in the Baltic region.

The source of Kyiv Post also reported that one of the drones flew over Valdai during the operation, “where the personal estates of the Rotenbergs, Kovalchuk, and one of Putin's palaces are located.”