Ukraine attacked an oil depot near a critical military airfield in southern Russia on Wednesday, its military said, the latest blow in a campaign to inflict pain deep into the country as Kiev’s forces lose ground at home on the battlefield.
The military said they hit the Kristall oil depot in Engels 300 miles from the border between the two countries. He said that the warehouse supplies Engels airfield with fuel stage area Because of Russia’s long-term attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and Russia’s hosting of some long-range nuclear bombers.
A Russian official wrote on the Telegram messaging app that there was a “massive” drone attack He targeted Enges. The governor of Saratov region, Roman Busargin, said that the air defense forces captured the drones. falling debris hit the “industrial facility” and ignited the fire. Mr. Busargin wrote that no one was hurt.
There is Kyiv has been targeted many times The base is trying to limit strikes on Ukraine’s energy system it plunged the cities into darknessCrashing Ukraine’s grid, forcing officials to scramble for alternative energy options.
The latest attack came as Ukrainian forces launched another offensive in the Kursk region of western Russia. Both sides have reported heavy fighting over the past few days in Kursk, where Ukrainian troops seized nearly 500 square miles of territory in a surprise cross-border incursion last summer.
After that, Russia regained about half of its lost territories. Analysts said the renewed offensive appears to be an attempt by Ukraine to regain momentum and project power ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Mr. Trump has promised to end the war quickly, without saying how. This has led to concerns that his administration may cut off military aid to Ukraine. It was the Biden administration rushes to get more help to Kiev before Mr. Trump is sworn in on January 20.
On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III traveled to Germany for a meeting on Thursday coalition of allies it met to discuss Ukraine’s security needs after a full-scale invasion by Russia in 2022. This will be Mr. Austin’s 25th and final meeting with the group of nearly 50 countries.
The meeting will “focus on the need to ensure the continued delivery of key capabilities, including air defense systems, artillery munitions and armored vehicles.” According to the Pentagon.
When asked by reporters on Wednesday whether there was concern about the future of the coalition after Mr. Trump took office, Pentagon officials he said they were confident that their European allies would continue regardless of whether the new US administration reduced their support.
While the scale of the new Kursk offensive remains unclear, military analysts suggest it may also be an attempt to force Russia to divert Kiev’s defenses from its increasingly worn-out front line in eastern Ukraine in order to seize new ground. .
On Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced its forces Kurakhov was caughtstrategic city in eastern Ukraine after months of heavy fighting.
