**Russian Oil Depot Fire Continues for Third Day**
A massive fire at the Kristall oil depot in Engels, Russia’s Saratov Oblast, has been burning for three days now. The blaze started on June 6 after a Ukrainian drone strike targeted the facility. The depot supplies fuel to the nearby Engels-2 airbase, which is home to Russian strategic bombers used in attacks on Ukraine.
**Smoke Plume Visible from Far Away**
Satellite imagery shows that the smoke plume from the fire stretches nearly 15 kilometers and can be seen from multiple areas of the city. This suggests a significant amount of fuel has been burning over the past few days. Despite this, authorities claim that air quality in residential areas remains within safe limits.
**Previous Attack on Same Depot**
The Kristall depot was targeted by Ukrainian drones twice before, in January 2025. On both occasions, fuel tanks were damaged or destroyed, resulting in a significant loss of fuel. This latest strike is part of a broader campaign by Ukraine to disrupt Russian military logistics and operations supporting the war in Ukraine.
**Renewed Campaign Against Russian Fuel Infrastructure**
The recent attack on Engels marks a renewed effort by Ukraine to target Russia’s fuel infrastructure. In addition to the strike on the oil depot, Ukrainian forces have also targeted airfields and industrial sites across at least six Russian regions. The goal is to disrupt operations supporting the war in Ukraine.
**Governor Confirms Fire, but Not Site**
The governor of Saratov Oblast confirmed that a fire broke out after the drone strike, but did not reveal the exact location of the incident. NASA’s FIRMS satellite system detected thermal anomalies consistent with the reported fire, further confirming the incident.
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