Zelenskyy refuses to discuss Belgorod oil depot 'attack' as Russia blames Kyiv for fire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday declared “I do not discuss any of my orders” as Russia continued to blame Kyiv for the "helicopter attack" on the oil depot in Belgorod. In an interview with Fox News he was asked if he had ordered such an attack. To this, Zelenskyy said, “I'm sorry I do not discuss any of my orders as commander in chief, the leader of this state. There are things which I only share with the military armed forces of Ukraine and when they talk with me”. 

"You need to understand that on that territory that you mentioned they were placing their shooting systems and were firing missiles themselves," he added.

Zelenskyy’s remarks came after Russia accused Ukraine of attacking a fuel depot in Belgorod on Friday. If Ukraine had ordered it, it would have been Kyiv’s first attack inside the Russian territory. 

After the oil storage depot was set on fire in Russia’s Belgorod, just north of Ukraine, Moscow accused Kyiv of the attack. Russia described the destruction as an attack by two Ukrainian helicopters. However, Ukraine has dismissed the allegations. According to BBC, the Ukrainian security council secretary Oleksiy Danilov said, “For some reason, they are saying we are behind it. This does not correspond to reality”. It is pertinent to note here that Ukrainian aircraft have not struck any targets in Russia since the war between both countries began on February 24. 

Despite Ukraine’s refusal, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov accused Kyiv of launching the attack. In the details provided by Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, he said that around 5:00 Moscow time, two Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopters entered the Russian airspace at an extremely low altitude and “launched a missile attack on a civilian oil storage facility" on the outskirts of Belgorod. He said that some of the tanks at the depot were destroyed and caught fire.

Russia's logistics may further stretch after oil depot 'attack'

The UK Defence Ministry on Friday noted that the destruction of oil tanks at the depot means a probable loss of fuel and ammunition supplies to the forces carrying out the military operation in Ukrainian cities. In the intelligence update as of April 1, the British Defence Ministry said that the fire at the Belgorod oil depot will likely add more stress to Russia’s already challenged logistic chains. It said that supplies to Russian forces encircling Kharkiv might be specifically impacted.  

UK Defence Ministry stated, “A fire has destroyed several oil tanks at a depot in the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the Ukrainian border. On 30 March, explosions were also reported at an ammunition depot in the vicinity of the city.”

“The probable loss of fuel and ammunition supplies from these depots will likely add additional short-term strain to Russia’s already stretched logistic chains. Supplies to Russian forces encircling Kharkhiv (60 km from Belgorod) may be particularly affected,” it added.

Image: AP