Fire breaks out at Atlas oil depot in Russia's Rostov region after drone strike
Illustrative photo: A fire broke out at an oil depot in the Rostov region due to a drone attack (Getty Images)
Explosions were reported in Russia’s Rostov region during the night of November 29 amid an airstrike involving drones and the activation of air defense systems. A fire broke out at the Atlas oil depot near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, according to Rostov Governor Yury Slyusar and Russian media.
The Russian official reported that around 30 drones were allegedly shot down and disabled by radio-electronic warfare systems during the massive air attack.
However, the official also noted "ground consequences."
According to him, the roof of a private house was damaged in the village of Masalovka, Kamensky district, though no casualties were reported.
"In the village of Dyachkino, Tarasovsky district, the glass in a residential building was damaged after debris from the attack fell onto the property," he added, also confirming there were no casualties.
The acting governor did not mention the fire at the oil depot. However, local online communities and Russian media have circulated numerous images showing the blaze at the oil facility.
Russian media outlets report that the large fire at the Atlas oil depot near Kamensk is clearly visible to motorists traveling along the M4 highway.
Updated: Local authorities confirm the fire
Later, the acting governor of the Rostov region stated that a large fire was being extinguished at an industrial facility in the Kamensky district.
"A total of 109 people and 38 units of equipment are involved," the official added.
Not the first drone attack on the Atlas oil depot
As a reminder, the facility was previously targeted in a drone strike on August 28. That attack also resulted in a large fire, and significant damage was reported to fuel storage tanks.
Note: The Atlas oil depot in the Rostov region is part of Russia's military-industrial complex, supplying fuel to the Russian military. The facility plays a key role in Russia's military logistics. In August 2020, joint exercises between the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Russian Reserve occurred at the depot as part of the Caucasus-2020 drills.
Furthermore, the attack on the Atlas oil depot near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in late August was a result of Ukrainian intelligence operations.
The Ukrainian General Staff also confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck two Russian oil depots during the night of August 28, with one of the targets being the Atlas facility in the Rostov region.
