Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Depot Deep Behind Enemy Lines

Ukrainian drones have struck another oil depot on Russian territory, according to a local official.

Two drones crashed into the facility in the town of Livny in Russia's western Oryol region, about 200 miles from the border with Ukraine, regional governor Andrei Klychkov, said on his Telegram channel on Monday.

One person was killed and three others injured, he added. An administrative building was also damaged.

Kyiv has ramped up its attacks on Russian oil refineries since the start of the year, kick-starting a campaign to hamper gasoline production, which fuels President Vladimir Putin's war economy.

At least 13 successful attacks have been carried out on Russian oil refineries during the conflict so far, targeting some of the largest in the country, according to Ukrainian military intelligence. At least 14 percent of Russian oil refinery capacity has been disrupted as a result of the attacks, the Pentagon's intelligence agency said this month.

Olha Stefanishyna, a Ukrainian deputy prime minister, said in March that Russian oil refineries were legitimate military targets for Ukraine.

Kyiv hasn't commented on the latest reported attack. Newsweek has contacted Ukrainian authorities for comment by email.

"Emergency services as well as city administration representatives promptly arrived to contain the fire and deal with the aftermath," Klychkov wrote.

The attack comes shortly after Kyiv's intelligence sources said that Ukraine was behind a May 9 drone attack on Russia's Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refinery in Russia's republic of Bashkortostan, nearly 1,000 miles from the border.

In April, Ukraine's security service also said it was behind a drone attack on a Russian oil refinery in the republic of Tatarstan, which is located some 800 miles from the border with Ukraine.

Kyiv has sought permission from its allies to strike targets on Russian soil using Western weapons.

Charlie Dietz, a Pentagon spokesman, told Newsweek last week that the U.S. has "been very clear that we do not support or enable strikes inside Russia."

"The security assistance we provide them is for use within Ukraine (to include Crimea). And the Ukrainian government understands our position," Dietz said. "For one thing, targeting Russia's oil refineries can negatively impact global security and stability. But ultimately Ukraine is responsible for its own operations, so I'll let them speak for themselves."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with The Economist published on May 25 that members of the military alliance should "consider whether they should lift some of the restrictions they have imposed on weapons donated to Ukraine."

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