ASTRA: Fire erupts at major oil terminal in Russia’s Krasnodar region PHOTO / VIDEO

A major oil transshipment facility in southern Russia caught fire overnight following a drone attack, according to local officials and open-source analysis.

Residents of Tikhoretsk and surrounding areas in Krasnodar Krai reported multiple explosions on the night of March 12, followed by a large blaze. Open-source intelligence project ASTRA said its analysis of eyewitness footage indicated that fuel tanks at the Tikhoretsk-Nafta oil transshipment terminal were on fire.

The videos, filmed from the R-217 Caucasus motorway, appeared to show two separate sources of flames, including open burning in front of one tank and heavy smoke rising from behind it, suggesting that multiple fuel reservoirs may have been affected.

The head of the Tikhoretsky district said that a fire broke out at the oil facility during a drone attack on the town. He added that emergency services were deployed to the scene and that no casualties had been reported. According to local authorities, 83 personnel and 26 pieces of equipment were involved in efforts to extinguish the blaze.

The Tikhoretsk oil hub is considered one of the largest oil transshipment points in southern Russia. Located in Krasnodar Krai, the facility operates as a major oil depot and terminal and is run by Tikhoretsk-Nafta LLC, a subsidiary of pipeline operator Transneft.

The extent of the damage and the cause of the reported drone strike have not yet been independently verified.

By Sabina Mammadli