Russian regional authorities confirmed Tuesday that debris from a drone triggered a fire at an oil depot in the Krasnodar region, located in southern Russia just across from the Crimean peninsula.
The fire broke out at the oil storage facility in the Poltavskaya area of Krasnodar. Officials reported no casualties as a result of the blaze and shared the update through a post on Telegram.
In response to the incident, authorities closed a local road that connects the affected area to a regional route leading to the bridge spanning the Kerch Strait — the crossing that links the Krasnodar region to Crimea. That bridge was constructed by Moscow following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.
The Kerch Strait bridge serves as one of several key supply routes into the Black Sea peninsula, alongside a handful of roads running through nearby Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine.
The fire comes just a day after Ukraine struck two bridges connecting Russian-held territory in Ukraine’s Kherson region to Crimea. The peninsula has been grappling with a fuel shortage as Kyiv has stepped up its attacks on Crimea’s supply lines in recent weeks.
The Krasnodar region, which draws large numbers of tourists during the summer months, has also been feeling the strain. The regional governor noted last week that disruptions to fuel supplies have led to panic-buying among residents, as Ukraine continues to target Russian energy infrastructure.
