Ukraine’s military intelligence conducted a drone strike on an oil depot in Russia’s Tula and Kaluga oblasts overnight on 18 January, causing a fire at the facility that supplies the Russian occupying forces.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 46 Ukrainian drones overnight. According to their statement, 18 drones were shot down over Bryansk Oblast, 11 over Kursk Oblast, seven over Kaluga Oblast, five over Tula Oblast, three over Belgorod Oblast, and two over Voronezh Oblast.

At least ten precise drone strikes hit the oil depot in Tula Oblast on the night of 18 January, a source in Ukraine’s special services told Ukrainian Pravda.

The administrative center of Tula Oblast, the city of Tula is approximately 193 kilometers (120 miles) from Ukraine’s border at its closest point.

In recent months, Tula Oblast has experienced frequent drone strikes attributed to Ukraine. On 14 January 2025, explosions were reported in Aleksin, Tula Oblast, during a mass drone attack. Such attacks have become more common as Ukraine seeks to diminish Russia’s military capabilities by targeting critical resources within its territory.

The source said Ukrainian-made drones operated by the Main Intelligence Directorate struck the Russian facility. The eyewitnesses shared footage showing the drone impacts on the oil depot that supports Russian military operations.

A large fire broke out at the facility following the strikes, according to the source.

Russian Telegram channel Mash also reported about the drone attack an oil depot in the Vuzlovsky district of Tula Oblast by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “Locals heard at least ten explosions, after which a fire broke out at the facility,” the channel reported.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Defence Intelligence also reported hitting an oil depot in Russian Kaluga Oblast on the night of 18 January.

Kaluga Oblast is located approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of the Ukrainian border.

The oil depot is part of Kaluganefteprodukt joint stock company and is a logistics centre that supplies Russian Federation units involved in the war against Ukraine. The attack caused a fire on the territory of the base.

Euromaidan press couldn’t verify these statements.

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