Susanna Riva A massive fire is raging at the fuel export terminal located in the Zheleznodorozhny district of Rostov-on-Don. The flames, first spotted on Saturday night, are continuing to rage for the third day, enveloping much of the industrial complex in thick smoke. Several independent monitoring channels have released videos showing fire towers as tall as a four-story building and a plume of smoke rising into the distance.
Fire at Rostov-on-Don Terminal: Facts Confirmed
According to local sources, the site is owned by the Novoshakhtinsk refinery and has a storage capacity of 60.000 cubic meters, capable of handling 3,5 million tons of petroleum products annually. NASA's FIRMS satellite monitoring recorded a temperature spike directly above the area, confirming the fire.
The Supernova surveillance channel reported that seven of the twelve tanks were completely consumed by the fire, while two others showed signs of thermal damage.
Damage to fuel tanks and reserves
Videos released by Astra and Exilenova+ show tanks black with soot next to those still engulfed in flames. The images reveal that most of the affected tanks are in the section intended for loading onto ships and river barges, making the continuation of exports problematic.
Local authorities, including those on the Rostov Glavny Telegram channel , have not yet confirmed that the fire was out as of midday Monday.
Reaction of the authorities and impact on traffic
Rostov Region Governor Yury Slyusar said that air defense shot down more than 100 drones overnight, sparking several fires across the region. He also reported six injuries, but did not mention the terminal. Meanwhile, the railway network suffered damage: a lifting bridge on the line connecting Rostov-on-Don to Bataysk was hit, causing lengthy delays for dozens of trains, according to Russian Railways.
Damage to maritime infrastructure and vessels
In the port of Azov, located a short distance from the terminal, two maritime vehicles were damaged, according to statements by the governor. The disruption to ship loading operations is having immediate repercussions on the energy market, as the terminal is known to supply fuel to the Russian armed forces.
Geopolitical context: drone attack and tensions
The event is part of a broader campaign of drone strikes originating from Ukraine, targeting strategic facilities in southern Russia. Although no Ukrainian authority has publicly claimed responsibility, the nature of the attack—it struck a key logistics hub for fuel exports—suggests a desire to impact military refueling capabilities. The prolonged blaze highlights the difficulties of containing a fire at such a large facility, where the presence of numerous tanks makes any extinguishing intervention extremely complex.