Russo-Ukraine war link pondered after Russian oil depot guts fire
No cause for the fire had been given, because the depot was so close to the Ukrainian border but questions had arisen about whether the fire was linked to the fighting that had been prompted by Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.
Fire is raging at two Russian oil depots near the Ukrainian border, according to reports from the TASS news agency on Monday.
The report cited local disaster response officials.
Storage tanks in the city of Bryansk were burning, according to the reports.
Fire crews were already responding at the site of the fire.
One of the storage facilities belonged to the oil company Transneft Drushba, which owned one of the pipelines that exported Russian oil to Europe.
Videos shared online, but taken from a fair distance, showed flames leaping into the sky.
The fire department had reported no deaths.
No cause for the fire had been given, because the depot was so close to the Ukrainian border but questions had arisen about whether the fire was linked to the fighting that had been prompted by Russia's invasion of its neighbour.
Earlier this month, Russian officials blamed a Ukrainian helicopter attack after an oil depot burst into flames in Belgorod, which also lies near the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine denied responsibility.