(PENZA, RUSSIA) – Ukrainian forces carried out a long range drone strike early on Friday that triggered a large fire at an oil depot in the Russian city of Penza, according to reports from Russian regional authorities and local Telegram channels.
Russian sources said the attack took place at about 4.00 am local time when drones struck the fuel storage facility, causing a significant blaze. Emergency services were deployed to the site, with at least 14 fire engines and 46 firefighters involved in efforts to contain the fire. Images and video circulating on Russian social media showed large flames and thick smoke rising from the depot.
There was no immediate official information on how many drones were involved in the strike or how many fuel tanks were damaged. However, the scale of the emergency response and the size of the fire suggested that more than one storage tank may have been hit. Satellite imagery of the site indicates the depot consists of a cluster of 19 oil tanks, along with two additional tanks located separately.
The Penza oil depot has not previously been reported as a target of Ukrainian drone operations. The city was struck by drones in December, when a ball bearing factory was damaged, but this appears to be the first confirmed attack on this particular fuel facility.
Penza is located more than 600 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, underlining the growing reach of Ukrainian long range drone capabilities. In recent months, Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil refineries and fuel depots deep inside Russian territory, aiming to disrupt logistics and reduce revenues that support Russia’s war effort.
The strike comes as discussions are reportedly under way about a possible energy related ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, with the involvement of the United States. Against that backdrop, the attack highlights the continued vulnerability of Russia’s energy infrastructure to Ukrainian drones and signals that Kyiv retains the ability to strike strategic targets far from the front lines.
Ukraine has not issued an immediate official statement on the Penza strike.
Ukrainian drones hit a fuel depot in Russia’s Penza region overnight, with debris from a downed drone sparking a fire, the regional governor said.
