Ukraine sent drones to attack oil depots in Russia's Saratov region, while Russian bombers and multirole fighters attacked Ukrainian forces in Kursk.
On January 8, the Ukrainian army said it had attacked deep into Russian territory and set fire to an oil depot in the city of Engels (Saratov region) that serves an airbase with nuclear bombers.
Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said the cities of Engels and Saratov, both in Saratov Oblast, on either side of the Volga River, had been “massively attacked by drones” and that a fire had broken out in an industrial zone. He did not name the industrial zone, but said two firefighters had died fighting the blaze.
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The Ukrainian military issued a statement saying there were several explosions and a large fire at the "Kristal" oil depot, which supplies fuel to the "Engels-2" military airport.
The attack “caused serious logistical problems for Russia’s strategic air force” and significantly reduced its ability to strike at Ukraine, according to a statement from Kyiv.
Satellite image shows a Russian bomber flying over Engels Air Base in Saratov
Ukraine deployed “long-range capabilities” in the attack, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksandr Kamyshin wrote on X, adding the phrase “MadeInUkraine,” implying that the weapons used were not supplied by the West.
Russian news reports also said the fire in Engels occurred at an oil facility. Videos and images posted on social media showed a large fire burning with orange flames, sending thick clouds of smoke into the night sky.
"There is enough force to contain the fire," said Mr. Busargin.
The Russian Defense Ministry said 11 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight in the Saratov region and 21 in other Russian regions and the Sea of Azov. It did not mention any losses.
Engels Air Base is located about 730 km southeast of Moscow and hundreds of km from the Ukrainian border. In December 2022, three Russian Air Force personnel were killed when a UAV was shot down there.
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Russia sends fighters to Kursk
TASS news agency on January 8 quoted a report from the Russian Defense Ministry saying that a Russian Su-34 bomber, escorted by a Su-35S multirole fighter, attacked a Ukrainian armed forces base and forces in the border area in the Kursk region.
"After completing the combat mission, the entire group successfully returned to the base airfield. According to intelligence reports, the targets were hit," the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that Ukraine had lost 290 soldiers in Kursk in the previous 24 hours.
In another development, the Russian Defense Ministry said 18 Ukrainian soldiers were taken prisoner in the Kurakhove area of Donetsk.
In addition, units of the Russian Southern Task Force took control of several more strongholds, defeated two formations of Ukrainian brigades and repelled Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk.
Russian troops also destroyed a Ukrainian tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, an American-made M113 armored personnel carrier, two pickup trucks, two artillery pieces and an ammunition depot.
The Ukrainian military said on January 8 that Russia had launched 64 UAV attacks in the previous 24 hours, of which Ukraine shot down 41, while 22 failed to reach their targets.
Debris from the UAV fell on houses in Kyiv province, causing damage to facades and windows but causing no casualties.
In Zaporizhzhia province, Governor Ivan Fedorov said 13 people were killed and many hospitalized due to Russian airstrikes.
Russia and Ukraine have not commented on each other's reports. Both sides have previously denied any allegations of targeting civilians in the war.
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NATO sends ships to the Baltic Sea
The Kyiv Independent reported on January 8 that a fleet of 10 NATO ships will protect infrastructure under the Baltic Sea until April, after several undersea cables were cut in suspected sabotage.
Ships, mainly from Finland and Estonia, will patrol the Gulf of Finland. Several telecommunications and energy cables under the Baltic Sea have been damaged in the past six months, with four telecommunications cables and one power cable severed on December 25.
Only two of the cables that were cut on Christmas had been repaired by January 7.
In another initiative, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) has set up a tracking system to alert allies if a ship poses a threat to submarine cable infrastructure.
NATO is increasing its military presence in the Baltic Sea to enhance situational awareness and deter potential threats. NATO members are also exploring ways to protect underwater critical infrastructure, with the support of the NATO Underwater Critical Infrastructure Maritime Security Centre, which will be established in May 2024.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chien-su-ukraine-ngay-1050-ukraine-danh-kho-dau-lon-nato-dua-tau-den-baltic-185250108213615869.htm
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