A Ukrainian long-range drone attack has set a key Russian oil storage facility ablaze, marking a significant escalation in the conflict just one day after Moscow fired a rare hypersonic missile at western Ukraine.
Drone Attack on Volgograd Oil Depot
Regional authorities in Russia's southern Volgograd region confirmed the strike on the Zhutovskaya oil depot overnight. Governor Andrei Bocharov stated on Telegram that there were no immediate reports of casualties from the incident.
While the full extent of the damage was not specified, Bocharov warned that residents living near the facility might need to be evacuated as a precaution. The depot was reportedly a crucial supplier of fuel to Russian military forces operating in Ukraine.
Retaliation for Hypersonic Missile Barrage
The drone strike came in direct response to a massive overnight Russian assault on Thursday into Friday, which involved hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. That attack killed at least four people in the capital, Kyiv.
Critically, the Russian bombardment included the deployment of an Oreshnik hypersonic missile for only the second time since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The missile, which Ukrainian officials said reached speeds exceeding 8,000mph, struck a state enterprise in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine roughly 40 miles from the Polish border.
A senior Ukrainian source suggested the missile likely carried a "dummy" warhead, similar to its first use in 2024, indicating a test of the weapon in a combat scenario and a stark warning to Kyiv's NATO allies. Moscow claimed the hypersonic strike was retaliation for alleged Ukrainian attacks on a residence of President Vladimir Putin, a claim dismissed by both Ukraine and US President Donald Trump.
International Condemnation and Strategic Shifts
The use of the advanced hypersonic weapon prompted swift condemnation from European leaders, who labelled it "escalatory and unacceptable". Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, announced that the UN Security Council will convene an emergency meeting on 12 January to discuss the attack.
These developments unfold against a backdrop of strategic strikes on energy infrastructure. Russia continues its campaign to cripple Ukraine's power grid, while Kyiv has systematically targeted Russian oil depots and refineries to sever Moscow's ability to fund its war through energy exports.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to secure Ukraine's future are advancing. Reports indicate progress in talks among Ukraine's allies on forming a defence framework should a US-led peace deal be achieved. This follows a recent joint declaration by the UK and France pledging to deploy troops as part of a "multinational force for Ukraine" to deter future Russian aggression, a move announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to allow Ukrainian forces to rebuild.
