Explosions and fires at Russia’s strategic chemical plant and oil depot - videos

Three oil tanks are burning at the Kazanorgsintez plant, one of Russia's largest chemical companies, in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Shortly before the explosion, drones were seen flying over the nearby village of Osinovo. 

According to the Mash Telegram channel, "debris from the downed drone" fell on the plant's territory. Another Telegram channel, Evening Kazan, wrote that the drones reportedly targeted the liquefied gas base rather than the plant itself, while the republic's Governor, Ruslan Minnikhanov, claimed that there were allegedly no casualties or significant damage and that all enterprises were operating as usual, traditionally blaming Ukraine for the attack.

Kazanorgsintez is the country's only producer of polycarbonate and the largest producer of a number of other organic chemical products, including ethylene, polyethylene, ethylene oxide, phenol and acetone.

In another Russian city of Engels, Saratov Oblast, fire broke out again at a local oil depot after reportedly the second drone attack on the facility in less than a week. One of the eyewitnesses claimed that the depot, the main fuel supplier for the nearby Engels-2 military airbase for Russia's strategic aviation, had been hit at least twice. Several explosions and air defense operations were heard by locals shortly before. 

Regional Governor Roman Busargin "damage to an industrial enterprise" after the UAV attack. Russia's Kristal state reserve oil depot burned for 5 days in a row after the Jan. 8 attack, which was carried out by the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) and the Unmanned Systems Forces in cooperation with other units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Explosions were also reported in Russia’s Tula and Bryansk oblasts. The overnight attacks also triggered temporary restrictions of flights to and from Kazan, Kaluga, Saratov, and Tambov airports.