Russian forces launched an overnight attack on an Azerbaijani-owned oil depot in Ukraine’s Odesa Oblast on August 8, using five Shahed drones to ignite a fire and damage a diesel pipeline. The attack, according to preliminary reports, targeted the SOCAR oil facility, which is operated by Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company. The incident has sparked diplomatic tensions, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressing strong condemnation of the attack, calling it a deliberate strike against Azerbaijani infrastructure and their cooperation with Russia.
The Zelensky administration has emphasized that the attack not only threatens the security of Azerbaijani investments in Ukraine but also undermines the broader strategic partnership between the two nations. This comes at a sensitive time, as Azerbaijan has been navigating its complex geopolitical relationships, balancing its ties with both Russia and Ukraine. The damage to the diesel pipeline has disrupted energy supplies in the region, raising concerns about the impact on local economies and the potential for further sabotage of critical infrastructure.