Satellite images emerge of oil depot ablaze in Rostov Oblast after drone attack – photos

Skhemy (Schemes), an investigative journalism project by Radio Liberty in Ukraine, has released satellite images revealing the consequences of a drone attack on an oil refinery in Azov in Russia's Rostov Oblast on the night of 17-18 June. The fire was still burning the following afternoon.

Source: Skhemy, with reference to satellite images provided by Planet Labs

Details: The images, taken at 14:30 Kyiv time, show the fire still raging in and around the oil depot, but it is difficult to assess the extent of the damage caused to the refinery since visibility is restricted due to the smoke.

The oil depot that was hit belongs to Azovprodukt. Up to 60,000 tonnes of oil products pass through this Russian terminal every month, and the tanks blazing as a result of the Ukrainian drone attack can hold up to 30,000 cu m of oil products at one time.

The Russian Defence Ministry has not commented on the attack. However, the governor of Rostov Oblast reported that tanks containing oil products had caught fire as a result of a drone attack in Azov.

Background: 

• Overnight drone attacks on 17-18 June caused fires in fuel storage tanks containing petroleum products in the city of Azov, Rostov Oblast. Russian Telegram channels reported that locals had heard five explosions shortly beforehand.
• An Ukrainska Pravda source at the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) said SSU drones had attacked Azovprodukt’s Rostov oil depots and a branch of Donnefteprodukt in the city of Azov, which taken together contain 22 fuel tanks, on the night of 17-18 June.

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