Russian Oil Refinery Fire Finally Extinguished After 16 Days

A fire in a Russian oil refinery targeted by Ukraine has finally been extinguished after 16 days.

The fire at the Kavkaz oil and petroleum storage facility in Proletarsk was caused by a drone strike by Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised his forces for the attack, saying such operations would bring a "just end" to the conflict, the independent outlet Moscow Times reported.

Since Russia launched their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022, Ukraine has launched strikes on Russia's industrial facilities and energy assets.

Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian territory, with drone attacks that target energy and military infrastructure, which often Kyiv does not claim direct responsibility for. Ukraine also launched the incursion into Kursk at the beginning of August.

Newsweek has reached out to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and the Kremlin via email for comment.

The fire at the Kavkaz oil and petroleum storage facility in Proletarsk began on August 18. An emergency services source told Russian state-run news agency Tass that the fire had been extinguished, adding that firefighters have remained on site to monitor potential flare-ups of fire as a result of strong winds, according to the Moscow Times.

The news was shared on the social media app Telegram, where the account News Sirena, citing emergency services, posted: "The fire has been extinguished. The crews are currently on site, and today they are still looking, let's say, just in case, because there is a strong wind. But the open fire has been extinguished."

The post said that 49 people were injured in extinguishing the fire.

According to Tass, the fire engulfed an area of 10,000 square meters, and the head of the Proletarsk district administration said that over 500 firefighters have been sent to deal with the blaze.

The Proletarsk facility reportedly holds up to $200 million worth of fuel, based on a domestic wholesale price of around $500 per ton of diesel.

Satellite imagery shared in a post on X, formerly Twitter, revealed damage to the depot.

The post was shared on August 30 by Mila Alien, a Ukrainian woman who shares daily news about Ukraine.

The post read: "An oil depot in Russia's Proletarsk has nearly burned to the ground.

"Journalists have published satellite images showing the fire on its 13^th day. The images reveal that nearly 20 tanks, each holding 500 cubic meters of fuel, appear burnt or damaged."

Kavkaz is one of three oil depots that is managed by Russia's Federal Agency for State Reserves that was hit by Ukrainian drones last month, according to the Moscow Times.

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