ReutersA Russian Orthodox priest visited the positioning of a blaze at a gas depot that’s nonetheless burning three days after it was set alight in a Ukrainian drone strike.
Greater than 500 firefighters have been preventing a fireplace on the Proletarsk oil storage facility within the Rostov area.
Native authorities instructed RIA Novosti that about 20 of the 74 storage tanks caught hearth.
On Wednesday, native Orthodox monks prayed beside hearth vehicles and introduced icons to the scene to assist firefighters’ efforts.
“this [priests] Speak to firefighters and bless all firefighting tools,” the native Volgodonsk diocese – the Russian Orthodox equal – instructed Reuters.
They introduced with them an enormous icon of unburned bush, thought of a talisman in opposition to hearth.
Air protection techniques shot down the Ukrainian drone on August 18, however its wreckage prompted diesel gas to ignite inside the facility, in response to regional governor Vasily Golubev.
Authorities have declared a state of emergency, however Russian state media quoted native metropolis administration as saying there was no menace of the fireplace spreading to residential areas and calling on individuals “to not panic.”
Golubev mentioned 41 firefighters had been handled for the fireplace, and 5 of them had been despatched to emergency ambulances.
Ukraine has not commented on the assault, however its forces have been concentrating on Russian oil infrastructure as a part of efforts to counter Moscow’s full-scale invasion that started in February 2022.
ReutersAdditionally on Wednesday, Ukrainian forces reported an assault on an S-300 air protection system close to the Russian metropolis of Novosekhtinsk within the Rostov area.
The Normal Employees of the Ukrainian Armed Forces mentioned on Fb that the assault was carried out by the Ukrainian navy in cooperation with different forces.
“The Ukrainian Protection Forces proceed to weaken the air protection capabilities of the Russian aggressors,” the assertion learn.
“Notably, Russian intruders have additionally used S-300 techniques to assault peaceable Ukrainian cities, destroying residential buildings and terrorizing civilians,” the report added.
Drone over Moscow
Elsewhere in Russia, Moscow mentioned its air defenses shot down 11 Ukrainian drones concentrating on town.
Town’s mayor, Sergey Sobyanin, mentioned it was one of many largest assaults within the Russian capital because the battle started, however there have been no stories of injury or casualties.
In the meantime, the Ukrainian Protection Ministry reported intercepting 50 Russian drones and missiles.
“The enemy continues to assault our space with assault drones. The air strikes continued all through the evening and into the morning, lasting greater than 9 hours,” Kiev’s army authorities mentioned on Telegram.
The report added {that a} non-public home was broken by falling particles and energy traces had been reduce.
On the bottom, Ukraine continues to manage giant swaths of territory in Russia’s Kursk area following a cross-border incursion that started on August 6.
That is the primary time since World Conflict II that Russian territory has been occupied by a international energy.
On the similar time, Russian troops are advancing fiercely in the direction of town of Pokrovsk in japanese Ukraine.
