Russian authorities claim Ukrainian missile attack on Belgorod Oblast leaves outages, occupied Luhansk oil depot reportedly struck

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Explosions and fires have been reported at an oil depot in occupied Luhansk as Russian officials claim Ukrainian missiles struck Belgorod and a surrounding district, leaving outages overnight on Feb. 27.

"Serious damage has been caused to energy infrastructure facilities. As a result, there have been power outages, water supply disruptions, and heating failures," Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Telegram news channel, Exilenova+, reported that High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) struck Belgorod, leaving parts of the city without power.

Belgorod is located just 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia.

The outlet later reported that a fire erupted at a Luhansk oil depot following a series of explosions at the site.

The city has been occupied by Russian forces since 2014.

Ukraine regularly strikes military infrastructure deep within Russia and occupied territories in an effort to diminish Moscow's fighting power as the Kremlin continues to wage its war against Ukraine.

Kyiv considers energy infrastructure to be a military target as they directly fund Russia's war.

Belgorod has been struck repeatedly in recent weeks. On Feb. 23, Gladkov claimed the city came under missile attack, leaving disruptions to electricity, water, and heating after damage to energy facilities.

Late on Feb. 18, Russian authorities claimed a "massive missile attack on energy facilities" in the city left parts of Belgorod without electricity and heating.

Explosions and fires were reported overnight on Feb. 19 at an oil depot in the town of Velikiye Luki in northwestern Russia's Pskov Oblast, according to Telegram news channel Exilenova+.

A source from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) later told the Kyiv Independent that the attack on the oil depot in Velikiye Luki was the work of their "Alpha" unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit, which managed to make their way through the anti-drone nets spread over the facility.

"Such operations are an element of systematic weakening of the military potential of the Russian Federation," the SBU source wrote in a statement.