ASTRA: Drones hit oil depot in Russia’s Stavropol, fire reaches fuel tanks PHOTO / VIDEO

An oil depot is on fire in the settlement of Vyazniki in Russia’s Stavropol region following a drone attack, according to an open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysis by ASTRA.

Residents of the Stavropol region reported explosions overnight on July 9. An initial analysis of eyewitness footage by ASTRA suggested that the targeted facility was the LUKOIL-Yugnefteprodukt oil depot in Mikhaylovsk. However, the Regional Governor Vladimir Vladimirov stated that “a fire broke out at an industrial facility in the Vyazniki settlement of the Shpakovsky district as a result of the raid.”

Vyazniki is home to another oil storage facility used as a major logistics hub for the receipt, storage, transhipment, and wholesale distribution of refined petroleum products, including diesel fuel and various grades of gasoline. The site consists of a tank farm, loading infrastructure, and related industrial facilities.

The oil depot in Vyazniki is located about 1.3 kilometres from the facility in Mikhaylovsk. Based on its updated assessment, ASTRA said the burning facility is likely the depot in Vyazniki rather than the one in Mikhaylovsk.

The governor later reported that the situation had worsened.

“The fire in Vyazniki has intensified. The blaze at the enterprise in the Vyazniki settlement has reached the fuel storage tanks. Additional firefighting crews are being dispatched to the scene. As a precaution, residents of a nearby street are being evacuated, and temporary accommodation centres have been set up. We remain in contact with district head Igor Serov and are receiving regular updates. All necessary assistance will be provided if required,” he said.

By Jeyhun Aghazada