A massive Ukrainian drone strike has ignited a key Russian oil depot in the Oryol region, causing a huge explosion that lit up the night sky. The Steel Horse facility, which supplies Vladimir Putin's armed forces and is linked to the Druzhba pipeline transporting oil to Europe, was reported ablaze after the attack.
Russia claimed to have shot down 20 drones over the Oryol region, but footage showed the depot engulfed in flames as air defences attempted to defend the strategic site. This is not the first time the facility has been targeted; it has been struck at least three times previously, including a successful strike one week ago that caused a fire lasting several days.
Oryol Governor Andrey Klychkov confirmed a “massive enemy UAV attack” and urged calm, stating that emergency services were on-site and there was no immediate information on casualties. The Russian defence ministry said it had thwarted an attempted “terrorist attack” by Ukraine, claiming 34 drones were intercepted over the Moscow region.
Ukrainian strikes have recently focused on supply bases for the Druzhba pipeline, which is critical for oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia—both countries that have opposed military aid and NATO membership for Ukraine. The ongoing attack underscores Ukraine's strategy to target infrastructure supporting Russia's military and energy exports.
