Stopping Russia ... Ukraine Doing Its Utmost

"The world has the strength to defend normal life [in this time of uncertainty as wars threaten humanity." "The world has this strength. And this strength must work now to stop Russia."

"I am grateful to everyone who helps. Grateful to everyone who defends Ukraine, who works for Ukraine, who remembers that the major challenge is to give our country every opportunity to drive out the occupiers."

"We will definitely do this."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

"An airplane-style drone was brought down by the defense ministry using radio-electronic means."

"When the aerial target was destroyed, its munitions were dropped on the territory of the Klintsy oil depot."

Bryansk regional Governor Alexander Bogomaz

In this photo taken from video released by Governor of Bryansk Region Alexander Bogomaz telegram channel AV BogomaZ on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, Oil reservoirs are seen in fire after the drone reached Klintsy.

An oil storage depot was struck by Ukrainian drones in western Russia on Friday, the cause of a massive blaze. With the conflict's two-year anniversary on the horizon, Ukrainian forces continue to extend their attacks across the border on to Russian soil. Bringing to their neighbour what their neighbour has imposed on them with Vladimir Putin's 'special military operation', which has encouraged Ukraine to mount its very own special military operation, and hugely successfully.

When a Ukrainian drone reached Klintsy, a city of 70,000 inhabitants located some 60 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, four oil reservoirs with a total capacity of 6,000 cubic metres were set afire, the latest in an intensified effort of late by Ukraine to unnerve Russians just as Russian attacks have substantially reduced the quality of life of Ukrainians. These reaches into Russian territory will serve to rebut the Russian president's claims that life in Russia is commencing normally. A special bit of reassurance to the public with the approach of the March presidential election.

More targets are to be scheduled within the Russian border regions this year, promises Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Made all the more convenient that Russian air defences are concentrated in its occupied regions of Ukraine, leaving targets at a greater distance inside Russia vulnerable, while the development of longer-range drones are in progress for Ukrainian Forces.

Belgorod, close to the Ukrainian border, had to cancel its traditional Orthodox Epiphany festivities Friday as a result of the threat hovering over the Russian city, of Ukrainian drone strikes; the first time any major public events are known to have been lifted in Russia in reflection of the threat of drones shot off from Ukraine into Russian territory. Quoting an official in Ukraine's Intelligence Service, Ukrainian national media reported that Ukrainian drones also attacked a gunpowder mill in Tambov, some 600 kilometres south of Moscow.

A Ukrainian drone, according to the Russian Defence Ministry, was shot down on the outskirts of St.Petersburg the day before -- with the drone wreckage falling on the premises of the St.Petersburg Oil Terminal on the southern edge of the city. The terminal co-owner confirmed that the drone had targeted the terminal in Russia's second-largest city, about 900 kilometres north of the Ukraine border.

 

Air defences electronically jammed the drone over Klintsy, but it dropped its explosive payload on the facility. No casualties were reported. Videos of the blaze at the depot appeared on Russian telegram channels, thick black plumes of smoke sent into the sky. This is the very depot that was struck last year by a Ukrainian drone.

 

Firefighters extinguish oil tanks at a storage facility that local authorities say caught fire after the military brought down a Ukrainian drone, in the town of Klintsy in the Bryansk Region, Russia January 19, 2024, in this still image taken from video. Russian Emergencies Ministry/Handout via REUTERS