In a significant development, Ukraine has carried out drone strikes on Russian oil depots, targeting regions far away from the border for the first time. The strikes, which took place on Wednesday, targeted the Zenit oil depot in Russia's Kirov region, reported The Kyiv Independent.

According to the report, Russia managed to shoot down two of the drones, while three others fell and ignited a fire in a nearby town. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries. However, the strike caused fires at two oil depots, resulting in significant damage.

This marks the first time Ukraine has attacked the Kirov region, located over 700 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border, since the conflict began more than two years ago.

Despite the strike, Kirov Governor Alexander Sokolov reassured that there was no disruption in operations or any damage suffered by the oil depots, as reported by The Moscow Times.

Meanwhile, Ukraine also targeted an oil depot in Russia's Rostov region on the same day, according to Reuters. Rostov Governor Vasily Golubev stated that there were no casualties, and firefighters were actively working to extinguish the resulting fire.

In an alarming development, The Times reported that the Kavkaz oil depot, located in the Rostov region, has been burning for the past ten days, with satellite images revealing the fire's ongoing spread.

Since its surprise incursion into the Kursk region on August 6, Ukraine has gained control of 482 square miles of Russian territory and 92 settlements, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement on August 19. This unexpected counteroffensive has forced Russia to redirect its manpower and resources away from the front lines in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed his forces to push back Ukrainian troops from Kursk by October 1, as reported by RBC-Ukraine news agency. This comes over two years after Putin announced the "special military operation" into Ukraine, which was vehemently condemned by the US and its allies for lacking justification.

Initially, Russia aimed for a quick victory over Ukraine due to its perceived military disadvantage. However, Ukraine's robust response, aided by Western military support, has thwarted Russia from achieving a decisive victory in the ongoing conflict.

Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region is particularly noteworthy as it surpasses the territorial gains made by Russia in Ukraine since the beginning of this year. Moreover, it marks the first instance of foreign troops seizing Russian territory since World War II.

President Zelensky has stated that Ukraine now controls at least 80 settlements in the Kursk region, underscoring the advancing offensive of Ukrainian forces.

Newsweek has reached out to both Russia's and Ukraine's foreign ministries for comment on these recent developments, but no response has been received at the time of writing.

The drone strikes on Russian oil depots represent a significant escalation in the conflict, as Ukraine continues to expand its offensive into new frontiers, challenging Russian forces on multiple fronts. The ramifications of these attacks on the already tense situation between the two countries remain to be seen.