An enormous fire has broken out at two oil storage depots and a military facility in central Russia following a suspected strike by Ukraine.
The blaze comes after huge explosions at the Druzhba oil depot in Bryansk city, where a Kremlin military unit is situated.
The Druzhba pipeline, operated by Transneft, is the longest oil pipeline in the world and one of the biggest oil pipeline networks on the planet.
Only one fire was initially reported, however, later reports confirmed that two Transneft oil facilities were on fire.
One was near a school in the city of Bryansk and the flames can be seen over the entire city.
The Bryansk region borders Ukraine and the city is some 240 miles from Moscow, report Mirror Online.
The oil storage depot is likely to be vital for supplying Russia’s troops in their surge to take control of the Donbas.
Residents were being evacuated from homes in the vicinity of the burning oil depot.
A fire was also reported at the military site, but was not confirmed by the Russian authorities.
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry initially posted details of a fire in the areas of the military facility on Moskovsky Ave - then withdrew it.
But Telegram channel Voenny Osvedomitel reported that the second fire was presumably at the 120th arsenal of the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate.
Oil storage tanks caught fire at the oil depot in Bryansk, TASS reported early today.
“The Emergency Situations Ministry has confirmed there’s a fire,” the government’s press office said. “There’s also a confirmation that it’s the fuel tanks.”
First responders were at the scene. The cause of the fire or fires was not initially confirmed.
Reports of the blaze come just days after another huge fire at the Second Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation in Tver.
Footage showed the fire at the building on April 21 as a death toll of up to seven was declared.
But more recently it has been claimed at least 25 died, believed to include some of Russia ’s leading missile scientists.
Two days after the fire, a search was still underway amid the rubble, it was reported. At least five people were rushed to hospital and administered into intensive care.
The huge blaze was at the secret Second Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation in Tver.
Some military scientists jumped from upper floors to escape the intense heat and flames.
Reports at the time told of “poisonous bluish-black smoke”.
The institute is central to the design of Iskander missiles, which have been unleashed in the war in Ukraine, as well as Russia’s S-400 missile defence system.
It is involved in other “secret projects”.
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