Wed Jan 08 17:09:47 UTC 2025: ## Ukraine Strikes Deep Inside Russia, Setting Oil Depot on Fire
**KYIV, January 8, 2025** – Ukraine launched a long-range strike on Wednesday, targeting an oil depot in the Russian city of Engels, a key supplier of fuel to a military airfield housing nuclear bombers. The attack, which involved drones and reportedly caused a large fire, is the latest escalation in the ongoing conflict.
The Ukrainian military claimed responsibility, stating the strike significantly hampered Russia’s ability to launch attacks on Ukrainian cities. Presidential advisor Oleksandr Kamyshin emphasized that the weapons used were domestically produced, not supplied by Western allies.
While the Russian regional governor confirmed a fire at an industrial site and a drone attack in Engels and Saratov, he reported no casualties. Russian news outlets also reported the incident, with social media videos showing a large blaze. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have intercepted numerous drones, but made no mention of damage.
The Engels air base, located hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian border, has been targeted before. This latest attack marks a significant escalation in the nearly three-year war, following Ukraine’s previous use of long-range Western missiles and Russia’s retaliatory deployment of hypersonic missiles. The Kremlin has repeatedly vowed to retaliate for Ukrainian long-range strikes. The incident has raised concerns about further escalation of the conflict.
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