Main points
- An oil terminal in Primorsk has been burning for the fifth day after a drone attack.
- The fire is spreading to new tanks, causing thick smoke over the facility.
Russia's strategic port on fire for 5 days / Collage by Channel 24 (Photo by Radio Liberty, Wikipedia)
A fire has broken out at an oil terminal in Primorsk, Russia, with renewed force. The fire has been raging for several days and has intensified again after the attack.
The flames are engulfing an increasingly large part of the strategic facility, according to “Schemes”.
What is the current situation at the Russian oil terminal?
The situation at the oil terminal in the Russian port of Primorsk in the Leningrad region has worsened again, after a fire that has been raging for several days. On the night of March 27, the fire flared up with renewed force, engulfing additional areas of the infrastructure.
According to satellite images, a significant increase in the fire has been recorded. Thick smoke is rising above the facility, and the flame is spreading to new tanks and technical areas.
Fire at the oil terminal in Primorsk / Photo Planet Labs, Radio Liberty
The fire at the terminal has been ongoing since March 23, when the facility was attacked by drones. It was after this strike that a large-scale fire began on the territory, which has been going on for five days in a row.
It is known that during the initial attack, a tank farm and oil loading infrastructure were hit. Tanks with oil and oil products caught fire at the facility, which significantly complicated the fire extinguishing.
The strikes on Primorsk showed a perfectly planned operation. They didn't just hit the facilities, but caused such damage that it makes it impossible, at least for a long time, to export oil and gas from these ports. These are extremely necessary and important operations.
At the same time, on March 26, it was reported that this oil terminal had begun to resume operations. In confirmation of this information, satellite images captured a new vessel that had not been in the port of Primorsk since March 24.
Why is the port so important for Russia?
-
The port of Primorsk is Russia's largest oil port on the Baltic Sea and one of the country's key export hubs. It handles tens of millions of tons of oil each year, making it a vital part of Russia's energy infrastructure.
-
After the first strike, oil shipments from the terminal were temporarily halted. Work was later partially resumed, but new fires could again affect the facility's operations.
-
At the same time, this is not the only case of damage to Russian oil infrastructure in recent days. Ukrainian drones have been attacking the oil loading ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk in the Leningrad region for three consecutive nights, which has greatly affected Russia's oil exports. Problems with the enemy's air defense have allowed Ukraine to carry out these attacks, which are aimed at weakening the Russian economy, which is heavily dependent on oil exports.