Ukraine attacked an oil storage facility near a sensitive military base in southern Russia on Wednesday, the Ukrainian military said, the latest strike in a campaign to defuse tensions inside the country as Kyiv’s military fails at home on the battlefield.
The soldiers said they attacked the Kristall oil storage facility in Engels, at a distance of 300 kilometers from the border of the two countries. It said the depot supplies fuel to Engels Airport, which it said has been the site of Russia’s long-running attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and hosts some of Russia’s nuclear-capable bombs.
A Russian official wrote on the Telegram messaging app that the “massive” drone attack was targeting Engels. Roman Busargin, governor of Saratov region, said air defenses intercepted the drones but falling debris hit an “industrial complex” and ignited a fire. No one was injured, wrote Mr. Busargin.
Kyiv has repeatedly targeted the base, trying to minimize strikes on Ukraine’s power system, which have plunged cities into darkness, hit Ukraine’s grid and forced officials to seek alternative energy options.
The latest attack came as Ukrainian forces suppressed what appeared to be a renewed offensive in the Kursk region of western Russia. Both sides have reported heavy fighting in the past few days in Kursk, where Ukrainian troops seized 500 square kilometers of territory in a surprise border crossing last summer.
Russia has regained almost half of the lost territory. Analysts say the renewed attack appears to be an attempt by Ukraine to regain control of the project ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Mr. Trump has vowed to end the war quickly, without saying how. That has raised concerns that his administration may cut military aid to Ukraine. The Biden administration was scrambling to get more help in Kyiv before Mr. Trump took the oath of office on Jan. 20.
On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III will travel to Germany for a meeting Thursday with a coalition of allies he called to discuss Ukraine’s security needs after a full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. It will be the 25th of Mr. Austin – and for the last time. – meeting the group, which includes about 50 countries.
The meeting will “focus on the need to ensure continued delivery of critical capabilities including air defense systems, artillery, and armored vehicles,” according to the Pentagon.
When asked by reporters on Wednesday if there is any concern about the future of the alliance if Mr.
While the extent of the Kursk attack remains unclear, military analysts have suggested it may be an attempt to force Russia to move troops away from the eastern lines of Ukraine, where they have been strengthening Kyiv’s defenses to take new territory. .
On Monday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said troops captured Kurakhove, a town in eastern Ukraine, after months of fierce fighting.
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