Another drone strike ignites the oil depot in Proletarsk

The burning oil depot in Proletarsk, ablaze since 18 August, was attacked again by Ukrainians using drones.

As reported shortly after the initial attack on 18 August, drone debris fell on one of the tanks, resulting in an explosion and fire. The firefighting operation has lasted several days and has not yielded the expected results. To make matters worse for the Russians, even more significant damage is possible.

On 22 August, around 10:00 AM Greenwich Time, another Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle attempted to attack the premises in Proletarsk. Some reports say that there is a risk of the fire spreading to the oil tanks.

Proletarsk is located in the Rostov region, about 200 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Such a distance is not an obstacle for Ukrainian drones. Various targets in Russia (mainly airports, military bases, and refineries) have been attacked for many months, some of which are located even deeper inside the country.

Ukrainians have developed several long-range drone models. The most well-known are the Rubaka, which has a range of about 500 kilometres, and the Bóbr, which can travel up to 1000 kilometres. The Bóbr drones are estimated to be around 3.5 metres long, and the explosive payload they carry can reach a maximum of 75 kilograms. They can achieve speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour.

The UJ-22 "Airborne" drones, which are less frequently used, have a range of 800 kilometres. They carry up to 20 kilograms and can operate even in extreme temperatures. There have also been reports of Ukrainians repurposing Soviet Tu-141 "Striż" drones into cruise missiles, which can have a range of up to 1500 kilometres.

The relatively short distance separating Proletarsk from the Ukrainian border does not rule out sabotage activities using commercial drones with attached explosives. These are much smaller and easier to cross the border with or purchase within Russia and simply arm. Russians have already been attacked in this way.