Blaze at Russia's Syzran refinery follows "drone" and "missile" alerts PHOTO / VIDEO

A fire broke out at the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region early on Saturday, August 8, following reports of an overnight drone attack, according to local authorities and the ASTRA monitoring group, citing open-source intelligence analysis.

Black smoke was seen rising from the refinery site after regional officials issued alerts warning of a “drone threat” and later a “missile threat,” governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said.

“One of the industrial enterprises of the Samara region was attacked by enemy drones tonight,” the governor said after 6 a.m. “Information about casualties is being clarified”.

The Syzran Oil Refinery, part of Rosneft, produces gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, fuel oil, bitumen and liquefied hydrocarbons. It processes between 7 million and 8.5 million tonnes of crude oil annually.

Authorities did not immediately provide details on the extent of the damage. Emergency services were not immediately reported to have brought the fire under control.

By Tamilla Hasanova