Ukrainian drone attack ignites massive fire at Russian oil depot
In the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia, an explosion has occurred at an oil depot. The facility burst into flames following a Ukrainian drone attack, resulting in injuries to two firefighters.
In Krasnodar Krai, located in southern Russia, an explosion took place at an oil depot, which has been burning since 19th March after a Ukrainian drone attack. This news was reported by the "Moscow Times," quoting a statement from local authorities shared on Telegram. As a consequence of the explosion, two firefighters sustained injuries.
Spread of the fire
The explosion led to the fire spreading to another tank, with the affected area expanding to roughly 1 hectare. "During the extinguishing process, due to depressurisation of the burning tank, there was an explosion of oil products and release of burning oil," reported the operational headquarters. In the firefighting operation, there are 456 firefighters and 181 units of equipment involved.
Significance of the Caucasus Station
Initially, the fire covered just around 2 square metres. The oil depot is part of the Caucasus Station, which facilitates the transfer of crude oil from railway tanks to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) pipeline system. Annually, up to approximately 6 million tonnes of crude oil are transported via this route. The fuel is then moved to the terminal in Novorossiysk, from where it is exported by sea.
