Fire erupts at major refinery

A large fire broke out on Thursday, April 10, at the Komsomolsk refinery in Russia’s Khabarovsk Krai — a critical fuel supplier for the country’s Far East — sparking fresh concerns over the vulnerability of Russia’s energy infrastructure.

According to reports from Russian Telegram channel 112, the blaze began after gasoline leaked from a processing column and ignited within one of the refinery’s technological units. The fire reportedly spread across an area of roughly 100 square meters before being localized, emergency services told state-affiliated Interfax. The exact cause of the leak remains under investigation.

The Komsomolsk refinery, operated by state-owned energy giant Rosneft, is one of the most vital facilities in Russia’s energy supply chain. Commissioned in 1942, the plant has a production capacity of 8 million metric tons annually and provides more than 60% of all petroleum products — including gasoline, diesel, and marine fuel — to the Far Eastern Federal District.

The incident follows a string of recent disruptions at Russian oil infrastructure. Just six weeks ago, Rosneft’s Ryazan refinery was forced to shut down operations after a Ukrainian drone strike on February 24 — part of Kyiv’s broader campaign targeting Russia’s logistics and defense industries since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

While Ukraine and Russia reached a partial ceasefire agreement in mid-March — brokered during U.S.-mediated talks in Jeddah — the truce only covered energy infrastructure and maritime strikes. A broader 30-day ceasefire proposal by Ukraine was reportedly rejected by Moscow, which demanded restrictions on Ukrainian military capabilities and international aid.

Tensions have remained high despite the truce. On March 13, just two days after the agreement, Ukraine accused Russian forces of violating the deal by striking energy facilities in Kherson. Moscow denied the allegations, instead accusing Kyiv of targeting the Sudzha gas metering station in Kursk Oblast — a claim Ukraine dismissed as a fabrication meant to justify further aggression.