Oil Storage Facility in Crimea Suffers Large-Scale Fire Following Drone Attack

Sevastopol City Fuel Tank... No Casualties Reported
Drone Origin from Ukraine Not Confirmed

A large fire broke out at an oil storage facility in the Crimean Peninsula, which is controlled by Russia, due to a drone attack.

A large fire broke out at an oil storage facility in the port city of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula due to a drone attack.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media on the 29th, Mikhail Razvozhaev, the mayor of Sevastopol, posted related fire videos and photos on his Telegram. He said, "There were no casualties from the fire, and it will not disrupt fuel supply within Sevastopol city." Mayor Razvozhaev did not disclose whether the drones identified as the cause of the fire were of Ukrainian origin.

Sevastopol, a port city in the Crimean Peninsula, has been regularly targeted by drone attacks over the past few weeks. Earlier this week, Mayor Razvozhaev reported that Russian forces destroyed Ukrainian naval drones attempting to attack the port, and another drone exploded, breaking windows of several apartment buildings, but no other damage was reported.

This incident occurred just one day after Russia attacked Ukraine with about 20 cruise missiles and two drones, killing at least 23 people. Most of the victims died when two missiles struck apartment buildings, including three children among the deceased.

Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, but most of the international community, including the European Union (EU) and the United States, does not recognize this. Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that "during Russia's full-scale invasion, efforts are being made to reclaim the Crimean Peninsula."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have not made immediate comments regarding the oil storage fire. Ukraine has generally only publicly claimed responsibility for attacks on Crimea in the past and has emphasized that "it has the right to strike any targets in response to Russia's aggression."