Late on 10 May, a series of explosions rocked an oil depot in the Russian-occupied town of Rovenky in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk oblast, according to reports from Russian propaganda outlets and pro-Ukrainian Telegram channels.
The town of Rovenky has been under Russian occupation since 2014, and lies over 110 km from Ukraine’s current front lines. Since 2014, Russia has been actively using the local oil depot located next to the railway to store POL (petroleum, oil, and lubricants) for its troops deployed and stationed in occupied Luhansk Oblast.
Local sources stated there were at least three explosions around 22:00, after which the skies were illuminated by the ensuing blaze. Residents asserted the target was a fuel depot facility in Rovenky.
Then witnesses on social media reported a massive fire erupting at the local oil depot in Russian-occupied Rovenky after the explosions.
More footage of the attack on the Rovenki oil depot
????various Luhansk-related sources pic.twitter.com/NskEZWw0jD
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) May 10, 2024
Later, Leonid Pasechnik, the head of Russia’s occupation administration in Luhansk Oblast, blamed Ukraine for the attack. He claimed the strike started a fire at the Rovenky oil depot and allegedly damaged nearby houses, ostensibly killing one person and injuring six others among “oil depot workers and local residents.”
Subsequently, videos surfaced online appearing to show the moment of the explosions as well as footage from the burning oil depot premises in Rovenky.
Russian media outlets alleged the strike was carried out using ATACMS missiles, which have a range capable of reaching Rovenky.
Russian news agencies provide a situation update from the Rovenky oil depot in the occupied part of Luhansk Oblast, showing that not all fuel tanks have been knocked out yet. pic.twitter.com/WcPrP2Z8t2
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) May 10, 2024
The previous Ukrainian attack on the Rovenky oil depot occurred a year ago, when a UAV hit a fuel tank. Earlier, Ukrainian forces hit the depot allegedly with a Tochka-U missile on 26 February 2022, the second day of the all-out war, and later on 1 July 2022.
Recently, Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russian fuel storage facilities crucial for military logistics in occupied areas and Russia. Additionally, since the beginning of this year, Ukraine has expanded its targeting to include Russian oil processing facilities.
On 8 May, a Ukrainian attack destroyed at least three fuel tanks in occupied Luhansk. On 9 May, Ukrainian forces hit an oil depot in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai not far from occupied Crimea. On 10 May, drones targeted an oil refinery in Russia’s Kaluga Oblast.
Read also:
- Drones attack oil refinery in Russia’s Kaluga Oblast
- Ukraine hits another oil depot in southwestern Russia near occupied Crimea (video)
- Ukraine’s May 8 strike destroyed at least three fuel tanks at occupied Luhansk’s oil depot, satellite imagery shows
- Fuel storage tank destroyed in alleged Ukrainian UAV attack on oil depot 100 km behind the lines (2023)
- Russo-Ukrainian War, Day 130: The Ukrainian army destroys Russian military warehouses and fortifications
- What assets did Russia’s puppet republics seize from Ukraine? Full list (2017)