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Russian oil refinery in Komi Republic catches fire, casualties reported

by The Kyiv Independent news desk June 2, 2024 7:05 PM 2 min read
The Russian multinational energy corporation Lukoil depot of Neder-Over-Heembeek is seen on Aug. 7, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
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A Russian oil refinery in the northwestern Komi Republic caught fire on June 2, leading to casualties, the Komi Republic’s Investigative Committee said.

The committee said there were both injured and dead in the incident but didn't disclose further details.

The incident is just the latest in the series of fires that have occurred at Russian oil infrastructure over the past months. They have been reported amid Ukraine's drone campaign targeting oil facilities across Russia aimed at undermining a major source of funding for Russia's war machine.

The oil refinery belongs to Russia's second-largest oil company, Lukoil. It is located four kilometers away from the city of Ukhta, according to the head of the Komi Republic, Vladimir Uiba.

Uiba said in a Telegram post that the fire was caused by "non-compliance with safety regulations" and not by a Ukrainian drone attack.

The Komi Republic’s Investigative Committee said it had opened a criminal case into the incident.

The regional branch of the Ministry of Emergency Situations said that 74 people and 22 pieces of equipment were involved in extinguishing the fire.

As of about 2 p.m. Kyiv time, the ministry said in a Telegram post that three employees were injured.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the reports.

Ukrainian drones hit one Russian oil refinery after another
Ukraine faces a challenging problem: how to stop a resurgent Moscow in its tracks long enough to rotate the troops, resupply, and fortify. Part of the answer is playing out right now in the skies over Russia. Over the past two weeks, at least dozens of Ukrainian drones reportedly struck

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