Ukraine's Security Service Drones Strike Russian Military Arsenal and Oil Depot

On the night of January 5-6, 2026, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) launched a series of long-range drone strikes targeting key Russian infrastructure deep within the country. The attacks reportedly hit a significant military arsenal in the Kostroma region and an oil depot in the Lipetsk region, resulting in substantial explosions and fires.

Strikes on Military Arsenal in Kostroma

The SBU's 'Alpha' Special Operations Center utilized long-range drones to strike Arsenal No. 100 of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU), located in the Neysky District of the Kostroma Oblast, near the town of Neya. This facility is described as a critical logistics hub responsible for supplying ammunition, including artillery shells, rockets, and missiles, to lower-level depots across Russia's western and central fronts. Following the drone impact, powerful explosions from detonating ammunition were reportedly heard throughout the night, prompting local authorities to initiate evacuations of residents from nearby settlements. Satellite imagery released by the OSINT group Exilenova+ reportedly showed multiple impact points and blast marks within the arsenal complex. Governor Sergei Sitnikov of the Kostroma Oblast acknowledged that several unmanned aerial vehicles were downed over the Neysky District, and a fire subsequently broke out at one of the military units due to falling debris.

Impact on Lipetsk Oil Depot

In a separate but coordinated operation, SBU drones also targeted the 'Gercon Plus' oil depot, also identified as Usmanskaya Naftobaza LLC, situated in the village of Streletskie Khutora in the Lipetsk Oblast, near the town of Usman. This depot plays a vital role in the storage, sale, and transshipment of petroleum products, supplying fuel to three Russian regions: Tambov, Voronezh, and Lipetsk. The strike ignited an intense fire at the facility. Igor Artamonov, the Governor of Lipetsk Oblast, confirmed the incident, stating that a fire had erupted at an industrial facility in the Usman district after a UAV 'crashed.'

Official Statements and Context

Sources within the SBU confirmed the success of these operations, emphasizing that such strikes aim to diminish Russia's capacity to supply its military. Ukraine's General Staff also corroborated the attacks, noting that the strike on the Kostroma arsenal would significantly disrupt Russia's ammunition supply chains and reduce the combat readiness of its units. Conversely, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense systems had intercepted a large number of Ukrainian drones overnight, claiming 129 drones were downed across various regions, including Kostroma and Lipetsk. These incidents are part of an ongoing series of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting military and energy infrastructure deep inside Russia.