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Massive fire breaks out at Russian shipyard in Karelia

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Massive fire breaks out at Russian shipyard in Karelia
Smoke rising in Petrozavodsk, Karelia, Russia, during a fire at the Onega Shipbuilding and Repair Plant on April 3, 2025. (Artur Parfenchikov/Telegram)

A fire broke out at one of Russia's largest shipyards in the northwestern city of Petrozavodsk on April 3, with three people reported injured.

A gas explosion likely started the blaze at the Onega Shipbuilding and Repair Plant's new workshop, which covered an area of 1,500 square meters, the Russian media reported.

Karelia Republic head Artur Parfenchikov said the fire has been extinguished as of midday. Two of the injured victims remain hospitalized.

Petrozavodsk, the capital of Russia's Karelia Republic, lies at the western shores of Lake Onega, almost 300 kilometers (180 miles) northeast of St. Petersburg.

The shipyard specializes in the production of barges, industrial vessels, Actic-class tugboats, and passenger ships.

In another incident in April 2024, the navigation vessel Katerina Velikaya caught fire while it was under repair at the shipyard Dalzavod in Vladivostok.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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