ASTRA: Drone strike triggers fire at oil terminal in Russia's St. Petersburg PHOTO / VIDEO

A major fire that broke out in St. Petersburg, Russia, following a Ukrainian drone attack may be linked to a strike on facilities belonging to Petersburg Oil Terminal JSC, according to analysts from the ASTRA who examined videos and photographs published by eyewitnesses.

According to the investigative project, residents of St. Petersburg reported a series of explosions and a large fire in the city on the morning of June 3. The governor of the Leningrad Region stated that dozens of drones had been shot down over the area, adding that air defence operations were still ongoing. Authorities, however, did not comment on reports suggesting that the oil terminal may have been targeted.

ASTRA said the fire occurred on the premises of Petersburg Oil Terminal JSC, one of Russia’s largest petroleum product transhipment complexes in the Baltic region. The incident took place on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which is being held in the city from June 3 to June 6.

The facility covers an area of 37 hectares and includes 21 storage tanks for both light and heavy petroleum products. It has an annual handling capacity of 12.5 million tonnes and is officially recognised as a strategically important enterprise for ensuring Russia’s national security.

By Jeyhun Aghazada