A major oil terminal in the city of Feodosia in Russian-annexed Crimea was still burning three days after Ukrainian missile strikes, media reported Wednesday.
On Monday, Ukraine’s military claimed its missile forces had carried out a successful strike on the Feodosia offshore oil terminal, which it called the largest on the Crimean peninsula. Russian-installed authorities said there were no casualties.
The fire spread from the initial 800 square meters to 2,500 square meters as of early Wednesday, according to the government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta.
Feodosia’s Russian-installed mayor Igor Tkachenko said 1,129 people have been evacuated from the affected area. Crimea’s Russian-installed leader Sergei Aksyonov promised to compensate residents for property damage.
Despite assurances that air quality poses no threat to nearby residents, the local consumer protection watchdog reported high levels of sulfur dioxide in one of its air samples near the flames.
Pantsir-S short-range air defense systems have been deployed at the oil terminal since at least the fall of 2022, according to satellite images shared by the Russian-language edition of the RFE/RL news organization.
The outlet later reported that the terminal was nationalized by Russia’s occupation authorities and sold in 2019 to a company linked to President Vladimir Putin’s university friend Viktor Khmarin.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.
