Ukrainian Drone Strikes Russian Oil Tanker in Rostov

A nighttime drone strike on the southern Russian city of Rostov ignited a fire on an oil tanker, underscoring the escalating attacks on Russian energy infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Alexander Skryabin, the mayor of Rostov, confirmed via a Telegram post on Thursday that emergency crews were still working to extinguish the blaze. Yuri Slovisar, the regional governor, said the fire spread across an area of 20 square meters, resulting in the deaths of two crew members and injuries to three others.

In recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russia’s energy facilities, from refineries and ports to platforms and tankers, aiming to disrupt revenue streams that help finance the ongoing invasion. 

The past month has seen a marked uptick in strikes across the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, including one major facility along the Caspian coast.

Rostov, located roughly 50 kilometers from the coast, connects to the Sea of Azov via the Don River. The port’s waters range from 3.9 to 5.4 meters deep, limiting access to smaller, shallow-draft tankers. The recent attack highlights the vulnerability of even these strategically smaller nodes in Russia’s energy network.

In retaliation, Russian forces continue targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure. With temperatures dropping, major Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, are experiencing power outages exceeding 10 hours daily, compounding civilian hardship as winter deepens.

The strike on Rostov marks yet another escalation in the tit-for-tat assaults on critical energy assets, reflecting the widening theater of conflict and the increasing civilian and commercial risks associated with the war.