In what could be the first Ukrainian attack on a target inside Russia, Moscow is claiming Ukraine struck a fuel depot in the Russian city of Belgorod, 25 miles north of the Ukrainian border.
This would be a significant move by Ukraine as Russian forces have been laying waste to Ukraine for weeks without any meaningful retribution inside Russia.
Despite a lack of independent confirmation, or official statement from Ukraine, footage posted on social media showed what appeared to be multiple rocket attacks from helicopters followed by a massive explosion, while another video showed an Mi-24 attack helicopter flying away at very low level over rooftops from the scene of the strike.
Twitter user Oliver Alexander also posted the video from CCTV cameras of the strike by two Ukrainian attack helicopters, saying:
CCTV footage showing the attack on the oil depot in Belgorod. In the video you can see 2 Mi-24 firing S-8 rockets at the depot. The first misses the target, but the second one hits oil storage at the depot causing the fire.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he could not confirm or deny Ukraine’s alleged involvement in the Belgorod fuel depot strike.
“I can neither confirm nor reject the claim that Ukraine was involved in this simply because I do not possess all the military information,” Kuleba said at a briefing in Warsaw, Poland.
In what is an almost comical response considering Russia’s brutal actions inside Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the strike, which Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied, was unhelpful and could jeopardize peace talks.
“Clearly, it’s not what could create conditions for further talks,” he said, according to Russian state-backed media Tass.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Liberty Defense News. As a Marine Corps officer, he led Marines, served aboard ships in the Pacific and jumped from helicopters and airplanes. He was also a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at U.S. embassies worldwide. He later ran for state and federal office, taught political science, wrote for the editorial board of a major newspaper and had his own radio show. A graduate of Georgetown, London and Cambridge universities, he brings decades of experience and insight to the issues that most threaten our American liberty – at home and from abroad. To read more go to: paulcrespo.com.
Ukrainian attack on Russia is entirely appropriate. about time for Russia to start feeling some kickback for their criminal acts.
Elwin
Good for Ukraine! It’s about time they took the fight to Russia. Now the NATO countries need to give Ukraine more offensive type weapons so they can do more damage to Russia.Make their cities feel the same way the Ukraine cities are feeling. Even as unbalanced as Putin happens to be not even he is stupid enough to use any type nuclear weapons. He knows that if he does that the West will do the same and it will lead to damage and destruction to a large part of the world. Maybe if China join Russia in this war then parts of the rest of the world will be destroyed. And all because some little dictator wants to feel important.