Petroleum storage tanks on fire in Russia's Rostov Oblast

June 18, 2024 5:53 am

• 1 min read

Petroleum storage tanks on fire in Russia's Rostov Oblast — Flames come out of the tower of an oil refinery plant. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Several oil storage tanks in the town of Azov in Russia's southwestern Rostov region caught fire overnight on June 18 following a drone strike, Vasily Golubev, the regional governor, said.

First responders have been dispatched to the site, according to Golubev. Nobody was hurt in the attack, he added.

The town of Azov, situated 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) from the Azov Sea, is home to 81,924 people. Rostov Oblast borders Ukraine to the southeast.

Reports of drone attacks against the region's oil infrastructure have increased in spring 2024. On June 14, a drone attack in the city of Morozovsk in Russia's Rostov Oblast caused a fire and disruptions to the local power supply.

Kyiv officials say these attacks are carried out to undermine Russia's military operations and retaliate against Moscow's strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Ukraine Russia Drone attack Rostov Oblast Oil refineries

Olena Goncharova

Head of North America desk

Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.

Illustrative photo: Russia's Black Sea Fleet warships take part in the Navy Day celebrations in the port city of Novorossiysk on July 30, 2023. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine war latest: Drones attack Russia's Black Sea Fleet; Russian pipelines explode in country's Far East, HUR says

Photo for illustration purposes: A Gazprom compression station, the starting point of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, in Ust-Luga, Russia, Jan. 28, 2021. (Andrey Rudakov / Getty Images)

Pipelines supplying Russian military explode in Russia's Far East, HUR source says

Ukraine's General Staff reported an attack on Borisoglebsk airfield in southwestern Voronezh Oblast, Russia, on July 5, 2024. (General Staff / Facebook)

Ukrainian drone strike on Russian airfield hits bomb depot, aircraft

The Russian city of Novorossiysk in Krasnodar Krai reportedly came under a drone attack overnight on July 6, 2025. (Astra/Screenshot)

Drones reportedly attack Russia's Black Sea fleet

A screenshot from the video of Skynex in action published by Ukraine's Air Force on July 12, 2025. (Air Force / Telegram)

'Impeccable results' — New Skynex video shows Ukrainian forces destroying Russian drones with German gun

News Feed

Saturday, July 19

2:16 am

Ukraine attacks Moscow with drones for 3rd straight night, Russian official says.

Russian air defense units intercepted 13 drones flying towards Moscow in under two hours, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported at around 1:46 a.m. local time on July 19.

1:30 am

US re-routing Patriots to fast-track air defenses to Ukraine, WSJ reports.

The U.S. will send its next Patriot system to Germany rather than Switzerland, in order to speed up Berlin's shipment of two Patriot batteries to Ukraine, officials said.

11:57 pm

First Australian Abrams tanks reach Ukraine after 9-month wait.

The tanks were promised to Kyiv in October 2024, but delivery was reportedly delayed due to resistance from the U.S. The remaining tanks will arrive "in the coming months."

11:21 pm

Minister proposes Ukrainian version of Trump's DOGE to 'reduce costs and evaluate efficiency'.

"I will be looking for a person to lead this area," First Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov wrote.

2:19 pm (Updated: July 18, 2025 11:11 pm)KI Insights

Ukraine calendar: What will happen this week

11:09 pm

Ukrainian forces 'steadfastly' holding defenses near Pokrovsk, commander-in-chief says.

"The enemy continues to use small infantry groups, but they are powerless in their attempts to capture Pokrovsk," Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, reported July 18.

10:17 pm

Germany's Merz says Ukraine unlikely to join EU before 2034.

"For us, the absolute top priority is, first and foremost, to do everything possible to end this war," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

10:15 pm

Ukraine war latest: EU agrees on 'one of its strongest' Russia sanctions packages after Slovakia lifts veto

10:13 pm

New EU sanctions could block Rosneft's Indian refinery sale plans, Bloomberg reports.

The Russian oil giant has been trying to sell its 49.13% stake in India's Nayara refinery, but the EU's latest sanctions package could make such a deal too risky for buyers.

10:07 pmDefense tech

With Trump-Zelensky ‘mega-deal,’ Ukraine’s drone makers hope to flood the US

9:30 pm

Erdogan, Putin discuss resuming Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian President Vladimir Putin that launching a third round of negotiations is important and that Turkey is prepared to host discussions in Istanbul once both sides agree on a date.

9:16 pmVideo

Zelensky doesn't see corruption as a problem, prosecuted activist says.

In an exclusive interview, Ukrainian anti-corruption activist Vitaliy Shabunin speaks out on what he says is a politically motivated criminal case against him, as well as corruption and the democratic backsliding in Ukraine.

8:25 pmWar

Russia steps up attacks on Ukrainian draft offices to disrupt mobilization

8:21 pm

UK lowers Russian oil price cap to $47.6 per barrel.

"We're striking at the heart of the Russian energy sector alongside the EU," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.

7:40 pm

Ukraine probes death of drafted man allegedly killed by enlistment officer.

According to the case file, he was struck in the face and torso by an enlistment officer. After he collapsed, the officer hit the man with a stun gun at least three to four times and struck his head against the floor multiple times, the records show.