Recent satellite imagery shows significant black smoke rising from an oil terminal off the coast of Crimea following a Ukrainian strike. This attack targeted the Feodosia terminal, known as the largest oil processing facility on the peninsula.
According to Kyiv’s military officials, a fire erupted at the terminal in the early hours of October 7 due to the missile strike. This operation aligns with Ukraine’s ongoing strategy to disrupt Russian military operations.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty shared satellite images on social media revealing the damage at the Feodosia oil depot. In a Telegram post, they stated: “High-quality satellite images of the fire at the oil depot in the port of Feodosia. Photos taken today, October 8, at 14:57 local time, show at least 10 fuel tanks ablaze.” Eyewitness accounts noted that the flames extended to other oil containers, with some reportedly exploding.
The Ukrainian military confirmed the attack in a social media statement, emphasizing the strike’s importance in undermining Russian forces. They specified that the successful operation took place against an offshore oil terminal, currently occupied by Russian forces in Feodosia, Crimea.
It was noted that oil products from this terminal were allegedly supplied to support the Russian occupation forces. The Ukrainian military coordinated the strike with various units to impact Russia’s military and economic capabilities.
In contrast, Russian authorities downplayed the event, labeling it merely a fire. Oleg Kryuchkov, an advisor to the Russia-installed head in Crimea, reported on Telegram that “emergency services are on the scene. No casualties or injuries have been reported.”
This isn’t the first strike on the Feodosia terminal; it had been previously targeted in March 2024 when a drone strike led to significant damage and a lengthy firefighting effort. In recent months, Ukraine has increasingly utilized drone strikes against oil depots and refineries, aiming to weaken the Russian oil industry that fuels their military operations.
Earlier, in July, Ukraine targeted the Polyova oil depot in the Kursk region, and in August, a drone strike on an oil depot in Russia’s Rostov region resulted in fires lasting up to six days. Additionally, Ukraine’s military has reported another successful operation against a Russian weapons depot located over 60 miles from its border in Karachev, Bryansk Oblast, where various munitions, including those from North Korea, were stored.