(KALEIKINO, RUSSIA) – Satellite imagery has confirmed damage to three oil storage tanks at the Kaleikino pumping station, a key installation on the Druzhba pipeline, following a recent Ukrainian drone strike.
The strike occurred several days ago. Newly released satellite images show two large and distinct smoke plumes rising from adjacent oil tanks. The smoke appears to merge at higher altitude, though closer inspection indicates two separate sources. A third, smaller plume is visible to the left, suggesting a further tank was also burning. The reduced scale of that plume may indicate that the fire was nearing containment at the time the image was captured.
Subsequent video footage filmed after the satellite imagery was taken shows a large fireball at the site. The blaze appears active and shows no clear signs of slowing. In the footage, flames and smoke continue to rise from the affected storage area.
Online reports suggest that Ukrainian forces may have conducted an additional strike on the facility to target remaining tanks. These reports have not been independently verified.
Mapping imagery shared online highlights the three damaged tanks within the pumping station complex. The Kaleikino station is described as a critical node in the Druzhba pipeline system. It receives crude oil from western Siberia and directs it towards export routes. From there, oil is transported towards the Caspian region and onward to Black Sea ports before shipment to European markets and the United States.
At present, available imagery indicates that the oil storage tanks were hit. There is no visible confirmation that pumping equipment itself was damaged. It remains unclear whether the station is currently offline. If pumping operations have been disrupted, even temporarily, the impact could affect Russia’s oil export flows through this corridor.
