Russia announces ’emergency regime’ after Ukrainian drones hit Crimean oil terminal

Russian authorities in Crimea have reportedly introduced an “emergency regime” after Ukraine claimed an attack on a major oil terminal on Monday.

“Last night, a successful attack was carried out on the enemy’s offshore oil terminal in temporarily occupied Feodosia in Crimea,” the Ukrainian military said on Telegram. “A fire was detected near the facility. The consequences of the damage are being clarified.”

The terminal is the largest on the peninsula and is used to serve the Russian military, Ukraine said. The attack was carried out by “units of the missile forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the military said.

Russia did not immediately comment on the attack, but said its forces shot down 12 drones over Crimea overnight.

Images circulating on social media appear to show the consequences, with fires at the site hours later.

The Russian local administration of Feodosia introduced emergency measures in response, local news outlet Crimea 24 reported, citing local officials.

“In connection with the fire on the territory of the Feodosia oil terminal, the artificial emergency regime of a municipal nature is introduced,” said Igor Tkachenko, head of the Fedosia administration.

There were no casualties as a result of the incident, Tkachenko added.

Train services in the area were suspended and two emergency shelters were created for local people displaced by the incident, local authorities said, adding that emergency services were fighting the fire.

“There are sufficient reserves for the population of the Republic of Crimea and for private structures. Daily monitoring is carried out. There is no fuel shortage in the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol,” said First Deputy Minister of Fuel and Energy of the Republic of Crimea Vladimir Voronkin.

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Russian state media outlets also reported the existence of a state of emergency.

Ukrainian war correspondent Andrii Tsaplienko suggested the damage could be severe.

“In Feodosia, there is not just a burning oil deposit, but an oil port, which is the main fuel supply for the entire peninsula,” he reported. “This will be a severe blow to the logistics of the occupation forces if they are unable to extinguish the fire and deal with the aftermath.”

Ukraine has carried out dozens of attacks on Russian oil facilities over the past year, targeting an important source of revenue for Moscow and its military – as Russia has also attacked Ukraine’s energy grid.

Most of these attacks were carried out with homemade drones.

But President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said Ukraine is also developing domestic missile capabilities as it seeks longer-range weapons from allies and permission to use them against targets in Russia.