Ukrainian Special Ops Strike on Russian Oil Depot Near Voronezh, Triggers Massive Fire

Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) posted on Telegram that they had used drones to strike a Rosneft base near the village of Liski, in Russia’s Voronezh Region, late on Wednesday evening.

According to the report, the strike, part of a carefully planned operation, initiated a massive fire at the depot, with several tanks still burning when the post was made

The SSO says the depot supplies fuel to Russian military groups involved in the war against Ukraine.

The General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces (AFU) confirmed the strike on the Liskinska oil depot which is used to support Russian military operations. At least three UAVs hit the target, causing a large-scale fire, according to the report.

“More detailed information on the consequences of the hit is being clarified. Targeted and systematic combat work on important facilities of the Russian invaders continues,” the report says.

On the evening of Jan. 15, Russian Telegram channels SHOT and Baza reported a drone attack on an oil refinery in the Voronezh region. Eyewitnesses heard explosions and saw flashes in the sky, with some claiming that local air defense systems were in operation.

SHOT reported no information about casualties, but the glow from the fire was visible from a distance. The Baza Telegram channel wrote that three drones attacked the refinery, all three striking within minutes of each other.

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Fire Halts Diesel Production at One of Russia’s Largest Lukoil Refineries

The refinery, among Russia’s top 10 by production, processes 13.7 million tons of oil annually. The shutdown has cut its diesel production by half – roughly 10,000 tons per day.

In a separate incident, a fire at the Volgograd Lukoil refinery on Jan. 15 forced the shutdown of its diesel hydrotreating unit, Reuters reported. The cause remains unclear, though local reports suggest something fell onto the facility before an explosion occurred. Russian emergency services have denied any external impact, and no drone attacks were reported.

The shutdown has halved diesel production, reducing output by 10,000 tons per day. One purification unit remains operational, producing 4,500 tons of Euro-5 diesel daily. Repairs are underway, but it’s unclear when full operations will resume.

These are the latest attempts by Ukraine to disrupt fuel supplies to Russian forces by striking refineries and storage sites. It has been reported that 2024 fuel production is at its lowest levels since 2012. Some refineries’ have seen processing output reduced by more than 30%. The Volgograd refinery’s struggles highlight the pressure on Russia’s energy production amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

A recent BBC report revealed that refineries and fuel depots in Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine were targeted at least 81 times in 2024.

Oil facilities in Russia’s southern regions were the most frequently hit. About 20% of all attacks took place in the Krasnodar region, while the Rostov region saw eight attacks, Belgorod six, and both Orel and Volgograd five each. At least 64 of these attacks resulted in on-site fires.