Russia confirms fire at oil depot in Stary Oskol after drone attack
Russia has officially confirmed the fire at an oil depot in the Starooskolsky district of the Belgorod region. The fire at the facility was reported by the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, and was also reported by the BBC.
According to Gladkov, a Ukrainian drone attacked the oil depot on the evening of 6 January, resulting in a detonation and several fuel tanks catching fire. Firefighters are working at the scene and are extinguishing the fire. According to preliminary reports, there were no casualties, and the extent of the damage is being clarified.
The Russian Ministry of Defence, for its part, said that in the evening hours of 6 January, air defence forces allegedly shot down 23 drones. Of these, 11, according to the ministry, were shot down over the territory of the Belgorod region. Information about the type of drones and their targets is not detailed.
Starooskolsky district is one of the industrial centres of the region, and attacks on fuel infrastructure in the border areas of the Russian Federation have become regular in recent months. They create additional risks for fuel logistics and the operation of energy facilities in Russia's frontline regions.
