Photo: Exilenova+
A drone attack on the Yugnefteprodukt oil depot in the Russian town of Labinsk, located approximately 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the front line in Ukraine, set almost the entire tank farm on fire, according to sources in the regional emergency services who spoke to the independent Russian outlet Astra. The flames spread to 18 tanks, the sources said.
Video footage of the blaze published online confirms that a significant number of tanks were indeed on fire. Google Maps satellite images reviewed by The Insider feature a total of 32 tanks on the site, meaning just over half of the storage units may have been affected.
According to Astra, the fire engulfed nine gasoline tanks with a capacity of 400 cubic meters each, along with nine diesel fuel tanks. Seven fuel trucks also burned, with the fire covering a total area of around 3,000 square meters. No injuries were reported. Operations at the facility were suspended.
The attack took place on the night of March 15-16. Astra said four Ukrainian drones struck the oil depot.
The Krasnodar Region’s Emergency Response Headquarters had previously reported that the fire was caused by a drone attack. On the morning of March 16, the agency claimed that the fire had been contained and that four fire crews were on the scene. However, later that evening, firefighting efforts were still underway, with seven crews now involved in extinguishing the blaze.
Labinsk district head Vladimir Zaburayev reported on March 17 that the fire had continued into a second day, describing the situation as “stable.” He said Russia’s consumer safety watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, had not detected harmful substances in the air in residential areas as a result of the burning petroleum products, adding that laboratory testing was continuing and that emergency services remained on site.