Ukraine's oil storage depot catches fire after Russian strike

A fuel and lubricants storage facility caught fire in Ukraine's western Ternopil region early Tuesday after a Russian strike, with initial information saying there were no casualties, the regional authorities said, reported Xinhua.

The projectile fired by Russian forces hit the storage depot in the city of Ternopil at about 3 a.m. local time (about 2359 GMT), according to the Ternopil Regional Military Administration.

More than 90 rescuers and over 20 units of equipment, including two fire trains, worked at the site to put out the blaze. Local authorities urged people to stay inside their homes and close the windows.

The Ukrainian capital also came under drone and cruise missile strike overnight, which brought no casualties, the Kiev City Military Administration said, adding that all air targets were intercepted on the city's outskirts.

Russia fired 26 Shahed combat drones, two ballistic missiles Iskander M/KN-23, a cruise missile Iskander-K, and several guided missiles Kh-59 at Ukraine in an overnight attack, said the Ukrainian Air Force.

Ukrainian air defense shot down 25 drones, a cruise missile, and two guided missiles over nine regions, according to Interfax-Ukraine News Agency.

Meanwhile, Russia has created three troop groups in the border regions as Ukraine continues its offensive there, reported Xinhua, quoting local media on Tuesday.

The groups are named after the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk, TASS news agency reported, citing Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov at a defense coordination meeting.

Ukraine started a military operation in the Kursk region on Aug. 6. The Ukrainian army has seized more than 1,250 square km of Russian territory and taken control of 92 settlements in Russia's western Kursk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday.

Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday it thwarted Ukrainian attempts to attack four settlements in Kursk and Ukraine lost 350 servicemen and 25 armored vehicles in the Kursk direction over the past day.