The latest in a string of mystery fires in Russia has hit Vladamir Putin ’s only aircraft carrier while it was undergoing repairs from an earlier inferno.
It comes as the vessel, known as Admiral Kuznetsov, is months behind schedule despite Vladimir Putin seeking to rush it back into service to play a role in his relentless bombardment of Ukraine.
It's the most recent fire in strategic locations amid fears that some are caused by sabotage linked to the war in Ukraine.
Today’s “open fire ” ignited in the staterooms on the ship in dock in Arctic port Murmansk.
A picture shows fire appliances at the scene.
An emergencies ministry statement said: "There was a localised smoke plume, which was detected in a timely manner.”
“The ship's emergency crew and response services that arrived at the scene eliminated the consequences of the incident.”
Alexei Rakhmanov, general director of Russia's United Shipbuilding Company, said the fire was "a minor incident during repair work".
"The fire has been extinguished. All the relevant fire systems worked properly. There is no damage or casualties.”
Yet it is another blow to Putin, who wanted to see the vessel afloat again to potentially use it during the conflict in Ukraine which he unleashed ten months ago.
An earlier blaze engulfed Admiral Kuznetsov in 2019 during a refit.
The vessel is his largest naval ship and crucial to supporting his nuclear capability.
In May, with the Ukraine war underway, a source said: "The task now is to set it afloat before the [winter] ice forms, otherwise everything will be delayed until 2023.”
But this deadline was missed and it is now unclear when the Kuznetsov will be seaworthy.
Previously the giant vessel has been deployed in the Mediterranean and its availability could give Putin more options in the Ukrainian war.
The Admiral Kuznetsov was hit by a major fire in December 2019, with claims the mystery blaze was caused by wiring problems.
Two people died and 14 suffered injuries from the inferno, which covered at least 4,305 square feet.
The vessel, commissioned in 1990, has been involved in naval convoys passing the British coast.
Spanning the length of three football pitches, it has a maximum speed of 29 knots, and a crew numbering 2,000.
The ship can carry up to 28 planes (Su-33 and MiG-29), 17 helicopters (Ka-52K and Ka-27) and is armed with P-700 Granit missiles.
It was deployed to the conflict in Syria.
Repair plans will see the carrier armed with the naval version of the Pantsir air defence system as well as new boilers, pumps, and flight and communications systems.
The past week has seen two explosions and major infernos in Irkutsk region.
Armageddon-like flames shot into the sky from the giant blaze at the Markovskoye condensate treatment unit in the biting minus 22C cold.
Dramatic footage shows the scene from hell caused by the “jet fire” in the east Siberian district of Ust-Kut, Irkutsk region.
At least seven people suffered injuries in the blast at Angarsk which was in the same region as a blast three days earlier that was compared to an earthquake or plane crash for its force.
Separately, a huge explosion hit a major Russian gas pipeline some 560 miles from the Ukrainian border.
The cause was unclear but videos showed a huge fireball burning in Chuvashia republic.
The pipeline transports gas from Russia via Ukraine to Europe, according to early reports.
