Ukrainian Drones Target Russian Oil Depots in Stavropol and Power Grid in Crimea

Ukrainian drone strikes early Sunday morning, July 19, targeted critical energy infrastructure in southern Russia and the occupied Crimean peninsula, igniting fires at multiple fuel storage sites and an electrical substation. Strikes on Stavropol oil depots In Russia’s Stavropol Krai, local authorities reported three distinct fires in industrial zones near the regional capital following a drone attack.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The independent Russian Telegram channel ASTRA published eyewitness video footage confirming multiple fires. Open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysts geolocated the footage and determined that strikes hit at least one of three adjacent oil depots located in Stavropol and the nearby settlement of Vyazniki. According to Astra, the targeted facilities include a Rosneft-operated oil depot in Vyazniki and another site on Promyslova Street, which houses two corporate entities: Korona and MK-Nefteprodukt. Video evidence also indicates a fire at the Stavropol oil depot on Kolomiytseva Street. This facility, operated by Lukoil-Yugnefteprodukt, features 42 reservoirs with a total capacity of approximately 57,600 cubic meters. The depot functions as a key logistics node for receiving, storing, and dispensing gasoline, diesel fuel, and lubricants. Attacks on Crimean power grid Simultaneously, a wave of drones targeted the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula. The local monitoring channel Crimean Wind reported an explosion near the 110/10 kV Darsan electrical substation in Yalta at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time. Local residents subsequently circulated footage of a fire at the site. Other Topics of Interest Sanctioned Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker Spills Oil Near Oman Coast A sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker, the Caroline Bezengi, is reportedly leaking oil in a marine conservation area near Oman. Residents also reported hearing explosions in the Crimean cities of Sevastopol, Feodosia, Sudak, and Kerch. Cumulative impact on energy infrastructure The July 19 strikes exacerbate an ongoing energy and fuel crisis across the occupied peninsula. Crimea’s 2.3 million residents have been facing near-catastrophic automobile fuel shortages following weeks of systematic Ukrainian drone raids against fuel storage sites and logistics lines connecting the territory to the Russian mainland. The power grid has also sustained heavy damage. On Wednesday, July 15, a separate wave of strikes caused total blackouts in the eastern city of Kerch, a critical logistical hub for Russian forces. Ivan Koshel, the Russian-installed head of the Kerch administration, confirmed the blackout, stating that life-support systems were forced to operate on backup power. Krymenergo, the occupied peninsula’s main energy operator, acknowledged widespread power supply restrictions and rolling blackouts across Crimea’s Northwestern and Eastern power districts. In response to the deteriorating infrastructure situation, Russian-installed officials, including Sevastopol mayor Mikhail Razvozhaev, recently introduced a “special regime” at energy facilities. Razvozhaev urged residents to minimize electricity consumption to prevent total grid failure and advised the population to conserve battery power on mobile devices for emergency communications. Tymur Dubovyk - journalist, newsfeed editor