Ukrainian drones have targeted another oil depot in Russia, according to a local official. Two drones hit the facility in Livny, a town in the Oryol region, about 200 miles from the Ukrainian border, regional governor Andrei Klychkov reported on his Telegram channel on Monday. The attack resulted in one fatality and three injuries, and an administrative building was also damaged.
Since the beginning of the year, Kyiv has intensified attacks on Russian oil refineries as part of a strategy to disrupt gasoline production, which supports President Vladimir Putin's war efforts. Ukrainian military intelligence reports that at least 13 successful attacks have been carried out on Russian oil refineries during the conflict, targeting some of the largest facilities in the country. These attacks have disrupted approximately 14 percent of Russia's oil refinery capacity, according to the Pentagon's intelligence agency.
In March, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna stated that Russian oil refineries are legitimate military targets for Ukraine. "Emergency services and city administration representatives promptly arrived to contain the fire and manage the aftermath," Klychkov wrote.
This attack follows a May 9 drone strike on Russia's Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refinery in Bashkortostan, nearly 1,000 miles from the border, which Ukrainian intelligence claimed responsibility for. In April, Ukraine's security service also acknowledged a drone attack on a Russian oil refinery in Tatarstan, about 800 miles from the Ukrainian border.
Kyiv has been seeking permission from its allies to use Western weapons to strike targets within Russia. Charlie Dietz, a Pentagon spokesman, told Newsweek last week that the U.S. does not support or enable strikes inside Russia. "The security assistance we provide is intended for use within Ukraine, including Crimea. The Ukrainian government understands our position," Dietz said. He noted that targeting Russian oil refineries could negatively impact global security and stability, but emphasized that Ukraine is responsible for its own operations.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in an interview with The Economist published on May 25, suggested that members of the military alliance should consider lifting some of the restrictions on weapons donated to Ukraine.
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