Fire Breaks Out at Russian Oil Storage Facility After Ukrainian Drone Shot Down
A massive fire broke out at an oil storage facility in the town of Klintsy, located in Russia’s Bryansk region. The incident happened amid the downing of a Ukrainian drone by the military, said Alexander Bogomaz, the regional governor.
According to Bogomaz, the initial reports confirmed zero casualties in the fire incident. Furthermore, firefighter teams immediately rushed to the spot, to douse the fire.
In addition, Bogomaz also took to Telegram and said that a Ukrainian drone, resembling an airplane-style aircraft, was intercepted and brought down by the Russian defense ministry using radio-electronic means. After the destruction, the drone’s munitions were dropped on the grounds of the Klintsy oil depot.
Additionally, Bogomaz disclosed that air defence units had successfully shot down two more Ukrainian drones over other areas of Bryansk.
Unverified videos circulating on social media depicted a fire blazing in the darkness at the oil depot, with storage tanks visible in the background. The TASS state news agency reported that the fire covered an estimated area of 1,000 square metres. Emergency services promptly dispatched a specialised firefighting train to the scene, as per RIA news agency reports.
Earlier the same day, the Russian Defence Ministry announced the interception and destruction of a Ukrainian drone flying over the Bryansk region, which shares a border with Ukraine.
Instances of drone attacks originating from Ukraine have been regularly reported by authorities in the region.
Notably, a Russian-appointed official disclosed that a day prior, Ukraine had attempted to target a Russian Baltic Sea oil terminal with a drone, though the attempt was unsuccessful. This marked a rare instance of targeting a facility in St Petersburg.
A Ukrainian government minister was quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Thursday, claiming that Ukraine had used a domestically produced drone to strike targets in St Petersburg, covering a distance of 1,250 km (775 miles).
The incident highlights the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, with drone warfare becoming an increasingly utilized tactic. It also underscores the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure facilities to aerial attacks, posing significant challenges for regional security and stability.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the drone incident and subsequent fire, as efforts to contain the blaze remain ongoing.
