Supplement: Strikes on POL- and Transporation Facilities — in Russia, and in Ukraine, 25 April 2022
As reported earlier, during the night from yesterday to today there were detonations and a massive conflagration on two oil storage depots…
As reported earlier, during the night from yesterday to today there were detonations and a massive conflagration on two oil storage depots (civil and military) in Bryansk, in south-western Russia. As far as is known, fires were not out even 12 hours later.
The social media has it that this was an attack by Ukrainian Bayraktar TB.2 UCAVs. Indeed, this should have been ‘confirmed’ by the downing of the involved TB.2 in the Kursk Oblast, on its way out of Russia.
Furthermore there are reports that Ukrainian TB.2s have hit an ammunition train outside Bryansk, causing it to de-rail, badly damaging the railway in the process.
As of now, no Ukrainian involvement was officially confirmed. Indeed, some of Ukrainian investigative journalists are already reporting that this is all a part of a large-scale provocation instigated by the Russian authorities. Considering the distance of Bryansk from Ukraine, I tend to lean in this direction.
Certainly enough, few hours later the Russians fired a large volley of cruise missiles at the railway system in western and central Ukraine.
At around 08.20hrs, about a dozen of cruise missiles — apparently Kh-101s or Kh-555s released by Tu-95 or Tu-160 bombers of the VKS from above the Caspian Sea — have approached six railway stations in central and western Ukraine, in Lviv and Vinnytsia areas from the south-eastern direction (those fired by warships of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea are usually approaching from southern direction).
Ukrainians claim to have shot down two that were approaching Zhmerynka (a major railway hub), in the Vinnitsyia region. But, another has hit something there, because casualties have been reported. Yet another hit an unknown object in the Koziatyn area (also Vinnitsyia region).
One missed the railway near Korosten, north of Zhytomyr, and caused no damage.
Another hit a traction substation providing power to Krasne railway station.
Three additional have targeted the railway station in Zdolbuniv, near Rivne: at least one has missed, but blew away roofs and windows of about 20 houses nearby. Tracks suffered only light damage and the movement of trains resumed shortly after.
Overall, five people have been killed, at least 18 wounded in these strikes alone.
As a result of these strikes, a large part of the railway system in western Ukraine was disrupted: indeed, authorities in Kyiv have confirmed that ‘more than 30 trains were delayed’ (16 of these evacuating civilians from eastern Ukraine).
