The scope of Ukraine’s latest strikes was far greater than initially believed: after two precise hits, a base in Feodosia and one of the largest oil terminals in Russian-occupied Crimea were left nearly destroyed.
Ukrainian forces have virtually wiped out a major Russian oil depot in occupied Crimea, according to the news outlet ASTRA. Ukraine carried out another strike on the JSC “Sea Oil Terminal” facility in Feodosia, sources told ASTRA.
This time, 11 more storage tanks were damaged: eight containing diesel, two with gasoline, and one that was empty. By ShrikeNews’ count, factoring in previous Ukrainian strikes, 23 of the depot’s 29 tanks are now out of service - effectively rendering the facility inoperable. That cripples one of Crimea’s largest oil terminals, designed to handle 12 million tons of fuel annually with storage capacity of 250,000 tons.
Roughly 830 people were evacuated from the fire zone. A 92-kilometer stretch of the Vladyslavivka–Feodosia highway was closed.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and the Armed Forces’ Special Operations Forces have confirmed an airstrike on Russian military targets in Russian-occupied Feodosia. An oil terminal is burning, along with two major power substations.
Drones operated by the SBU and Special Operations Forces hit targets linked to Russia’s military, the UNIAN news agency reported, citing intelligence sources. The overnight strikes into October 13 ignited fuel storage tanks and caused power supply disruptions.
Reports of the impacts in Feodosia emerged on the morning of October 13. Media sources said three targets on the southern coast of occupied Crimea were hit:
- The Feodosia port oil terminal. According to the SBU, five fuel tanks caught fire.
- The 220 kV “Kafa” substation, which supports the “Crimea–Russia” power line. Three components were struck: power transformers, an indoor switchgear, and an automation room. The hits caused grid problems and voltage fluctuations.
- The 330 kV “Simferopol” substation, where several explosions were reported. Details were not specified.
NASA’s FIRMS satellite fire map indicates active burning in Feodosia, with an estimated hotspot area roughly 5 km in diameter concentrated around the seaport. Meanwhile, at 12:00 a.m. on October 13, a message appeared on the Telegram channel of Russian-installed official Sergei Aksyonov claiming a raid by 20 drones, all allegedly downed by Russian air defenses.
The Feodosia strike was not the first. On October 6, the depot was also hit by drones (ASTRA) and burned for four days. On October 10, drones again tried to attack the site; a downed UAV damaged firefighting equipment. The repeat strike was acknowledged by Sergey Aksenov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea.
According to Ukrainian analytical outlet Dnipro Osint, key power substations were also hit: the 330-kV “Simferopol” and the 220-kV “Kafa,” which links Crimea to Russia’s Krasnodar region. The strikes triggered fires and power disruptions.
Feodosia is a strategic supply hub for Russian military and civilian infrastructure in the south. After repeated Ukrainian strikes, Moscow is losing the ability to reliably supply fuel to the region, and repairing damaged sites under constant attack is almost impossible.
Each new blast deepens fuel shortages, pushing prices higher and stoking anxiety in Russia’s fuel market. In effect, Ukraine is methodically choking off Russia’s fuel lifeline.
Strikes on depots and substations are part of a calibrated strategy aimed at gradually degrading Russia’s military logistics. Experts note Crimea has fewer and fewer backup capacities, and each new hit turns the peninsula from a fortified base into a vulnerable island short on fuel and power.
