Ukrainian Drone Strike Causes Major Fire at Russian Oil Depot

Significant Fire Erupts in Yaroslavl Region

Residents in the Yaroslavl region of Russia have reported experiencing what they termed a "fuel oil rain" following a drone strike by Ukraine on a key oil storage facility, which ignited a substantial fire. This incident reportedly occurred overnight between June 13 and 14, targeting an oil depot located in Rybinsk. According to a Ukrainian media outlet, drones operated by Ukraine's military successfully struck the facility, leading to a significant blaze. Local social media posts featured images and videos showing vegetation, vehicles, and other surfaces covered in a dark, oily substance. Additional footage indicated the presence of oil slicks on the Volgotnya River near Volkovo, approximately 20 kilometers from Rybinsk. The depot is managed by the Temp Combine, a state-owned entity under Russia's Federal Agency for State Reserves (Rosrezerv), which oversees the maintenance of strategic fuel reserves for wartime and national emergencies.

Reports indicate that this facility is a crucial fuel storage and distribution hub for northeastern European Russia, connected to both rail and river transport systems. It is said to house over 60 storage tanks, including large reservoirs capable of holding up to 5,000 cubic meters of fuel. This is not the first instance of a Rosrezerv facility being targeted during the ongoing conflict; a fire broke out at the same Rybinsk depot following a drone strike in December 2025. Additionally, another Rosrezerv site, the Kristall oil storage facility in Engels, was attacked in November 2025, which is used for storing aviation fuel for Russia's strategic bomber fleet. Furthermore, there were reports of strikes on other industrial sites across Russia during the same night.

According to the independent Telegram monitoring channel Exilenova Plus, the Azot chemical plant in Novomoskovsk, located in Russia's Tula region, also caught fire due to drone strikes. Novomoskovsk is situated about 395 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Russian officials confirmed that the city was attacked but did not provide specific details regarding the chemical plant. Tula regional governor Dmitriy Milayev stated, "During the repulsion of the aerial attack, fragments of downed Ukrainian drones fell onto the territory of one of the industrial enterprises in Novomoskovsk." Ukraine has yet to make a public statement regarding these reported attacks. These incidents occur as both Russia and Ukraine persist in launching long-range drone strikes targeting military, energy, and industrial infrastructures far from the front lines.