Drone debris causes fire at St. Petersburg oil refinery

A downed drone intercepted by Russian air defence systems crashed into a St. Petersburg oil refinery overnight, local Telegram channel Fontanka reported on Wednesday. 

The incoming drone, which was hit by an S-400 missile at 4:20am while flying over Kolpino, south of the city, crashed into the Nevsky Mazut oil refinery, Fontanka wrote, resulting in an explosion and three empty oil tanks catching fire. Emergency services have subsequently put out the blaze.

Local residents heard an explosion and windows shook on the drone’s impact, Russian news broadcaster RBC reported. 

“An incident occurred at an industrial site in the Nevsky district of the city, which required the attention of law enforcement agencies”, the city administration’s press service told RBC, adding that it would be launching an investigation into the incident.

No injuries or serious damage were reported at the refinery, though Fontanka said that cars parked at the plant had been damaged by the drone debris.

The city’s Pulkovo Airport imposed flight restrictions overnight, RIA Novosti reported, but is now operating normally again.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that it had downed another Ukrainian drone over the western Pskov region overnight, which it called “an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack.”