'It burns for 3 days' — Ukrainian drone strike sparked huge fire at Russia's Temryuk Seaport, SBU source says
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) drone strike on Dec. 5 targeted a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Russia’s Temryuk Seaport in Krasnodar Krai, triggering a massive fire that burned for three days, an SBU source told the Kyiv Independent on Dec. 9.
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the attack on Dec. 8, reporting that approximately 70% of the facility’s total fuel tanks were destroyed in the strike.
The source said the operation was conducted by the SBU’s elite Alpha special operations unit and targeted the production facilities of Maktren-Nafta, a company involved in liquefied natural gas (LNG) transshipment, adding the blaze had "burned for three days."
According to the source, the strike caused fires in more than 20 of the site’s 30 storage tanks, each with a capacity of 200 cubic meters. The drones also reportedly destroyed railway tankers, an intermediate fueling unit, and a loading/unloading overpass. The fire covered approximately 3,000 square meters.
Video provided by the source shows large-scale fires at the facility.
Maktren-Nafta handles the transfer of liquefied gas from railcars and tank containers to specialized gas carriers. The terminal, built in 2008, is designed to process up to 400,000 tons of LNG per year.
The source said the attack was part of the SBU’s ongoing effort to degrade Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure, which plays a key role in financing the war against Ukraine.
The SBU will continue systematic efforts to cut off revenues from Russia’s oil and gas sector.
"This money funds the war against Ukraine. Explosions in Russia’s rear will keep happening at facilities supporting the war effort," the source said.
Ukraine has routinely targeted oil facilities in Russia and in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories in an effort to disrupt Moscow's military logistics and supply lines.
