Ukraine's long-range drone campaign has reportedly once again struck at the heart of Russia's energy artery,igniting a fire at a key Transneft oil pumping station in the republic of Tatarstanearly Monday.
Regional officials confirmed the incident after local media and Telegram channels first reported explosions near the strategic facility, with authorities announcing: "as a result of falling drone debris, a local fire broke out in an industrial zone."
No casualties resulted from the blasts which took place around 4am at theKaleykino pumping station. A fire ensued after eyewitnesses reported hearing some seven explosions.
Ukrainian media has cited a source whodescribed, "Tonight, long-range SBU drones caused a 'bavovna' (explosion) at the main oil pumping station 'Kaleykino' near Almetyevsk in Tatarstan. It receives oil from Western Siberia and the Volga region and mixes it before sending it for export.The station is a key hub for supplying raw materials to the 'Druzhba' oil pipeline."
Kaleykino serves as a critical receiving and mixing terminal that aggregates crude oil flows from several Russian regions and facilitates the transport ofnearly 30% of the country’s crude oil toward major export routes like the Druzhba pipeline.
The Druzhba-1 station at Kaleikino, a critical part of the Druzhba oil pipeline for Hungary and Slovakia for Russian oil, has just been blown up. Now who would stand to gain the most for punishing Hungary and Slovakia?pic.twitter.com/k4lEsmYOlW
Druzhbahas been featured heavily in the news of late, givenoil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia via Druzhba were halted after a Jan. 27 airstrike on equipment in western Ukraine.
Ukraine blamed the attack on Moscow, while Hungary isblaming Kiev for deliberately not repairing the pipeline because it doesn't want it to supply Budapest, or Slovakia, with Russian oil. A political firestorm has ensued ever since.
The controversy has led the Orban government to on Monday block the EU's proposed €90 billion loan package for Ukraine and also it vetoed the 20th round of anti-Moscow sanctions.
Interesting timing, to say the least...
Source: ZeroHedge News
