Proletarsk, Russia – A major fire erupted early Sunday morning in the town of Proletarsk, located in the Rostov region, after Russian air defense systems shot down Ukrainian drones that had targeted a nearby oil and petroleum storage facility.
The fire, which has continued to burn for more than a day, has left 41 firefighters hospitalized, with several in critical condition.
The incident took place at the Kavkaz oil and petroleum storage facility, which is located approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Ukrainian military officials have claimed responsibility for the drone strike, stating that the attack was a deliberate response to Russia’s ongoing offensive against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Rostov region Governor Vasily Golubev provided updates on the situation through a series of posts on Telegram. “As of now, 41 firefighters have been hospitalized. Eighteen of them required extended care, with five in intensive care,” Golubev wrote on Monday afternoon.
He noted that efforts to extinguish the blaze were still ongoing, more than 24 hours after the drones were intercepted by Russian air defense systems.
Video footage shared by the Telegram news channel Ostorozhno Novosti captured a new explosion at the site on Monday, further complicating the efforts to control the fire.
The video shows personnel from Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry reacting to the latest explosion, which appeared to exacerbate the already intense fire.
In the footage, a voice is heard over the radio saying, “We’ve burned a little here,” as emergency responders work to assess the situation.
The attack on the Kavkaz facility is the latest in a series of Ukrainian strikes targeting Russian oil and gas infrastructure since the conflict between the two nations escalated into a full-scale war in 2022.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly described these strikes as “fair” retaliation for the widespread damage inflicted by Russian forces on Ukraine’s own energy infrastructure.
The town of Proletarsk, where the facility is located, lies approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) from areas in eastern Ukraine currently under the control of Kyiv’s forces.
The proximity of the town to the Ukrainian border has made it a strategic target for Ukrainian military operations, as Kyiv seeks to disrupt Russia’s fuel supplies and weaken its ability to sustain its military campaign.
The ongoing fire at the Kavkaz facility has raised concerns about potential environmental damage and the broader impact on the local population.
Authorities have not yet provided detailed information about the extent of the damage or the potential risks to public health. However, the situation remains tense as firefighting crews continue their battle to contain the blaze.
The attack underscores the escalating nature of the conflict and the increasingly bold tactics employed by both sides.
As the war drags on, the targeting of critical infrastructure on both sides is likely to intensify, further complicating efforts to reach a peaceful resolution.