Ukraine has launched another drone strike on an oil depot that has already been burning for six days in Russia's Rostov region, and Russians fear the blaze could reach nearby kerosene reservoirs, triggering a much larger explosion.
Local residents were awoken by the sounds of powerful explosions at the oil depot at about 3:30 a.m. local time on Friday, Rostov region's 161.ru outlet reported. "It was very loud, I woke up from the explosion. The glow illuminated [the town of] Proletarsk," one resident said.
The Proletarsk oil depot in Russia's Rostov region was attacked in a Ukrainian drone attack six days ago, and more than 500 firefighters have worked to tackle the blaze. The scene has even been visited by Russian Orthodox priests, who blessed the fire equipment, Reuters reported.
Videos circulating on social media show huge plumes of black smoke rising into the sky above the oil depot.
Newsweek has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry for comment by email.
The pro-Kremlin SHOT Telegram channel accused Ukraine of attempting to spread the blaze to kerosene tanks nearby, "which could significantly increase the area of the fire."
"At the moment, the fire has not reached the kerosene tanks. There is no official information about the incident," the channel said of this morning's reported drone attacks.
"There is a threat of an unparalleled blast at an oil depot near Rostov—the fire is approaching kerosene tanks," the Crimean Wind Telegram channel said. "All Russian officials are silent."
Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "If the fire gets to the kerosene tanks, it will make the situation even worse."
"The fire on the oil depot started on August 18, after a drone attack. Russia used fire trains and praying priests to put it out," he added.
The attacks appear to be part of an ongoing campaign by Ukraine, which kick-started in January, to target Russia's oil hubs. The Moscow Times reported in late June that at least 40 Russian oil depots and refineries have been attacked by drones since the beginning of the year, including some of the nation's largest.
The attacks are typically claimed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Ukraine's Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR).
In March, Olha Stefanishyna, a Ukrainian deputy prime minister, said Russian oil refineries were legitimate military targets in the war as they support President Vladimir Putin's war economy.
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