Russia rocked by two huge explosions as fuel depot erupts in flames after 'Ukraine strike'
MULTIPLE EXPLOSIONS at an oil depot have triggered a major fire in the Russian city of Bryansk, near the Ukrainian border.
Russia: Large fire spotted at oil depot in Bryansk
A large blaze raged through the area of the Druzhba oil depot, with some reports indicating it could be a possible Ukrainian attack on an oil pipeline transporting oil from Russia to Europe through Ukraine and Belarus. A second fuel tank explosion was reported by local state media in Bryansk at a "military unit".
The Russian state news agency TASS reported that oil tanks caught fire at the oil depot in Bryansk at around 2am Moscow time.
The government press office commented: "The Emergency Situations Ministry has confirmed there’s a fire."
It added: "There’s also a confirmation that it’s the fuel tanks."
In an update, the state news agency said no casualties had been reported at the Druzhba facility.
'Russia is in a hurry' Vladimir Putin to speed up Ukraine attacks as sanctions fuel unrest
BBC's Security Correspondent Frank Gardner has warned "Russia is in a hurry to win" as sanctions from the West are getting difficult to deal with for Russia.
Vladimir Putin will continue to intensify attacks in Ukraine as "Russia is suffering from the sanctions from the West”, claimed Mr Gardner.
������More stuff blowing up in Bryansk, Russia - half-way point between Kyiv & Moscow. Currently, nature of targets is unknown. Multiple explosions on the night of April 24/25. pic.twitter.com/4MWMhfOGM9
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) April 25, 2022
Journalist Alexander Bunin revealed two fuel tanks are engulfed in flames after “several explosions” had been heard in Bryansk.
He told his Twitter followers: “On the outskirts of Bryansk, two fuel tanks are burning in a military unit on Moskovsky Prospekt and an oil refinery at Snezhetsky Val. No official information yet.
“There were two explosions near the Selmash plant in Bryansk. Now the flame.
Several explosions were heard in Bryansk.”
READ MORE: Ukraine LIVE: Russian morale battered as renewed assault fails
‼️������ На окраинах Брянска горят два резервуара с топливом в воинской части на Московском проспекте и нефтеперерабатывающем заводе по адресу Снежетьский вал.
— Alexander Bunin (@abunin) April 25, 2022
Официальной информации пока нет pic.twitter.com/apppeOtmXL
Bryansk is located around 286 miles southwest of Moscow and 295 miles from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
The city is the administrative centre of the Bryansk region which borders Ukraine.
At less than 100 miles from Ukrainian territory, the region is thought to be crucial for Russia's push to control the Donbas region.
There has been no confirmation that the fire is the result of a Ukrainian attack, but Russian media reported last week that Ukrainian aircraft had targeted buildings in the area.
DON'T MISS:
Macron risks 'lame duck' presidency - 'No honeymoon' [REVEAL]
Moscow in FLAMES: Misery for Putin as huge plumes of smoke engulf sky [INSIGHT]
Evidence of ‘smuggled’ UK tech ending up in Putin’s bombs – RUSI [SPOTLIGHT]
A video taken very close to the Oil Depot currently on Fire in the Western Russian city of Bryansk. pic.twitter.com/YiCfOht7xW
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 25, 2022
Activist Igor Sushko took to Twitter to publicise the explosions at the "half-way point" between Moscow and Kyiv.
He wrote: “More stuff blowing up in Bryansk, Russia - half-way point between Kyiv & Moscow. Currently, nature of targets is unknown.
“Multiple explosions on the night of April 24/25.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian media outlet Euromaidan Press announced the explosions and reported it may be part of the Druzhba pipeline which transfers oil from Russia to Europe.
Explosions were reported from Russian Briansk.
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) April 25, 2022
Russian media wrote that oil depot Druzhba has exploded. It can be part of the Druzhba pipeline that is bringing oil from Russia to Europe through Ukraine and Belarus. There weren't official comments yet. https://t.co/9HkZHQXV2R
They revealed: “Explosions were reported from Russian Briansk.
“Russian media wrote that oil depot Druzhba has exploded. It can be part of the Druzhba pipeline that is bringing oil from Russia to Europe through Ukraine and Belarus. There weren't official comments yet.”
The Druzhba pipeline is the world's longest oil pipeline, and is operated by state-controlled Russian oil company, Transneft.