The fire at the oil depot in the Rostov region, which was attacked by Ukrainian drones on Sunday morning, has spread to an area of 10,000 square meters and has been burning for three days without being extinguished.
According to Radio Svoboda, local sources indicate that as of Tuesday morning, the open flames are no longer visible, but thick black smoke continues to rise into the sky. The sky over Proletarsk, near where the oil depot is located, "looks eerie."
A state of emergency has been declared in the Proletarsk district. Over 500 people are fighting the fire, and aviation is being prepared to assist. In previous days, the fire was fought with three firefighting trains and 80 specialized vehicles.
As of Monday evening, 41 firefighters were injured while battling the blaze, with five of them in intensive care. Seven of the injured have been evacuated to Saint Petersburg.
The Telegram channel Baza reports that the fire at the oil depot in the Rostov region has significantly expanded, now engulfing 22 fuel tanks. These tanks are expected to burn for several more days. Continuous dousing is being conducted between the tanks to prevent detonation.
During the night of August 18, Ukrainian-made kamikaze drones struck the "FDKU Kombinat Kavkaz" oil depot in the vicinity of Proletarsk in the Rostov region of Russia. This oil depot supported the enemy's military-industrial complex and facilitated the operations of Russian occupying forces.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine claims that the drone attack on the oil depot in Proletarsk was organized by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in coordination with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.