Explosions heard in Russia's Perm as eyewitnesses report fire near oil pumping station – photos, video

Explosions and a fire have been reported at the Perm oil pipeline control station in the Russian city of Perm, over 1,500 km away from the border with Ukraine.

Source: Exilenova+, a Ukrainian monitoring Telegram channel; Russian Telegram channels

Details: Eyewitnesses have posted footage showing plumes of smoke in Perm and a video of a drone attack.

Early reports indicate that the Perm oil pipeline control station has been attacked yet again.

The system at the refinery is reportedly being urgently depressurised.

According to Russian Telegram channels, an air-raid warning has been issued in the city because of the threat of drone attacks.

Local residents are reporting loud explosions over the city. Perm airport has also been closed.

Dmitry Makhonin, Governor of Perm Krai, said a drone strike had hit an industrial facility in the region, adding that several other UAVs had been shot down.

ASTRA, a Russian news outlet, reported that the Lukoil-owned Perm Oil Refinery (Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez) had been attacked for the second time in eight days.

The refinery is one of Russia's largest, with a capacity of nearly 13 million tonnes per year, and supplies fuel to both the civilian sector and the Russian military.

Background:

• Drones operated by Special Operations Centre Alpha, part of the Security Service of Ukraine, struck the Perm oil pipeline control station, which is more than 1,500 km away from the border with Ukraine, on the night of 28-29 April.
• Satellite images show that at least two fuel storage tanks caught fire following the Ukrainian drone attack on the Perm oil pumping station.

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