Terrorist act at oil storage depot in Russia

Massive explosion has hit an oil storage depot three kilometers away from the city of Neftekumsk of the Stavropol region in Russia. The explosive device went off under one of the oil tanks at the storage facility. The building went into flames.

The incident occurred at 03:00 AM MSK. There were 5 000 tons of oil in the reservoir in time of the explosion. Upon their promp arrival, officers of the criminal investigation department found another explosive in the building.

By 07:20 AM MSK the fire was fully extinguished. There has been no information regarding victims of the explosion. “Luckily, oil leakage has been avoided due to a ditch around the oil tank,” reported a guard of the oil storage depot.

The explosion followed by strong fire did not pose a threat to residents of the neighboring village of Kamysh-Burun, informed a source at the regional department of emergence situations.

Police instigated a criminal case of “terrorism”.

Purified oil is transported from the storage depot to the city of Buddenovsk  by train. From there it is being transferred to Tikhoretsk (of the Krasnodar region). Afterward, it travels to Novorossiisk's sea port and from there it is being exported abroad.

Maxim Pogodin