The incident occurred in the southern Rostov Region, not far from the Ukrainian border
A fire broke out at an oil refinery in southern Russia’s Rostov Region on Wednesday after it was allegedly hit by a Ukrainian drone.
The blaze occurred at the Novoshakhtinsky oil refinery, affecting an area of around 50 square meters, and was quickly put out, the emergency services said. There were no injuries or fatalities, they added.
The cause of the fire hasn’t been officially announced, but unconfirmed footage suggests it was caused by a drone crashing into the facility.
A short clip uploaded on social media captured a UAV approaching the refinery and smashing into it at full speed. The impact led to a large explosion, with the blaze starting immediately.
The shape of the drone suggests it was a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2, a model widely used by Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. The quality of footage is low, making it difficult to confirm the type of aircraft.
The refinery is located some 10km from the border controlled by the People’s Republic of Lugansk forces.
Ukraine’s military has have carried out numerous attacks within southern Russia, mainly in the Belgorod and Bryansk Regions, since Moscow launched its military operation in Ukraine in late February.
The strikes, targeting infrastructure including oil facilities and also residential areas, have resulted in destruction, injuries, and several civilian deaths.
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