Massive drone attack targets Russian oil depot in Oryol
In the Russian city of Orel, December 22nd's night was tumultuous, according to reports from the Telegram channel "Gorod Orel." Locals report seeing "bright flashes in the sky on the outskirts of Orel," tallying about 30 "dull explosions."
Orel Region Governor Andrey Klychkov reported a massive UAV attack that ignited a fuel infrastructure site in the settlement of Stalnoy Kon, urging residents to stay calm. There were no reported casualties or injuries.
Subsequently, Klychkov updated that air defense and electronic warfare forces neutralized 20 drones over the Orel region. The drones had reportedly targeted fuel-energy infrastructure objects, but the fire was extinguished. "No casualties or significant damage," he added.
The news outlet Militarniy specified that the targeted fuel depot is located at coordinates 53.041662, 36.131995, approximately 110 km from the Ukrainian border. The facility has faced previous attacks, with another significant UAV strike occurring on December 14, hitting a storage tank and causing a major fire, as well as on November 16.
Owned by AO "AK 'Yugo-Zapad Transnefteproduct'," the depot is a crucial element of the petroleum pipeline network, supporting facilities like LPDS "Stanovoe," PPS "Plavsk," LPDS "8N" (Unecha), and NP "Bryansk."
On December 21, the Russian Armed Forces launched an offensive on Ukraine, deploying 113 Shahed-type and other drones. Ukrainian air defense systems were engaged in 11 regions. In Zaporizhzhia, a 12-year-old boy was injured, and a drone struck an apartment building in Kharkiv.