A fire broke out at an oil depot in Kavkazskaya station in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai following a Ukrainian drone attack, according to the region’s operational headquarters.
The blaze covered approximately 20 square meters and damaged a pipeline between storage tanks. There were reportedly no injured.
While no injuries were reported, 30 employees from the night shift were evacuated.
Locals reported several explosions in Kropotkin village, Krasnodar Krai, followed by a fire near the local oil refinery. Russian Telegram channels reported at least three explosions around 02:08 am.
The Kavkazskaya station is located near the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which was previously attacked on 17 February 2025, resulting in its shutdown.
Transneft company officials claimed at the time that restoring the damaged station would take up to two months, potentially reducing oil transit from Kazakhstan through the CPC pipeline by 30%.
Ukraine has not commented on the attack.
The latest attack occurred after US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held nearly two-hour telephone negotiations on 18 March.
The White House reported they agreed that movement toward peace would begin with “an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical talks on implementing a maritime truce in the Black Sea, a complete ceasefire, and establishing permanent peace.”
Kremlin sources claim Putin supported Trump’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire on mutual strikes against energy infrastructure, saying he “responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military appropriate instructions.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the possibility of negotiating with Russia through US mediation to stop strikes on energy facilities, but warned: “If the attacks continue, Ukraine will respond to them.”
Just hours after Putin reportedly agreed to Trump’s proposed 30-day energy infrastructure ceasefire, in the late hours of 18 March, Russian military hit the hospital in Sumy, damaging the roof, communications, and four fifth-floor wards. A nearby children’s medical facility was also damaged by the blast wave. No injuries reported.
Overnight into 19 March, Russia laucnhed 145 Shahed drones and multiple missiles across 12 oblasts.
Read also:
- Russia launches massive drone attack hours after Putin agreed to Trump’s ceasefire proposal
- WHO warns US aid cuts could undo 20 years of HIV treatment progress, affect Ukraine
- Breaking: Putin agrees to Trump’s 30-day energy strike pause while launching drones and demanding Ukrainian mobilization halt
