Satellites record destruction of Samara oil pumping station after five strikes

Satellite data confirms scale of destruction

Images obtained by Planet Labs clearly illustrate the state of the Russian Samara oil pumping station following a series of attacks. These materials were released by the Russian service of Radio Svoboda. The footage shows a significantly burnt area and critical damage to the facility's main components. According to satellite monitoring data, fire completely destroyed up to ten tanks for storing oil raw materials.

Five hits in October and November

In total, five effective strikes were delivered to the infrastructure of this oil hub during the period from October to November. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that one of the tanks continues to smoulder and emit smoke even six days after the drone attack that took place on 2 November.

Chronicle of infrastructure damage

The first reports of a fire at the station, located near the settlement of Prosvit, appeared after a night-time strike on 2 November. A dense column of smoke was recorded over the facility at that time. However, problems at the enterprise began earlier: in October, as a result of a series of hits, a number of tanks, each with a capacity of 50,000 cubic metres, were already put out of service, and pipelines were damaged.

Satellite data confirms extensive burning: only charred remains and destroyed structures are left at the site of the former raw material storage tanks.