Russian Aviation Hub Reportedly on Fire as Pillar of Smoke Rises Over Kursk

A Russian aviation hub is reported to be on fire in the city of Kursk, bordering Ukraine.

Videos circulating on social media on Tuesday show thick black plumes of smoke rising into the sky, in what appears to be the latest major unexplained fire in Russia in the ongoing war.

There have been a string of mysterious blazes in Russia since President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The Russians have blamed some of the incidents on Ukraine, although Kyiv typically denies involvement.

Ukrainian intelligence, however, has claimed responsibility for attacking numerous Russian military bases, saying that they are legitimate targets in the ongoing war between the two countries.

Newsweek couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the videos and has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry for comment by email.

"Russian 3754th Central Aviation Technical Base on fire in Kursk. 95 km [59 miles] from the frontline," pro-Kyiv X, formerly Twitter, user Special Kherson Cat said, sharing footage of the blaze.

Local news outlets including RBC Ukraine and 24TV reported that a military base was on fire in Kursk, although this hasn't been confirmed by Russian officials.

"According to OSINT researchers, the 3754th Central Aviation Technical Base (military unit 13830), which houses a large number of vehicles that service aviation, is on fire," RBC Ukraine reported Tuesday.

24TV reported that satellite images have emerged, which show that numerous vehicles servicing Russian aircraft were located at the base when the fire broke out.

The head of the Kursk region, Alexey Smirnov, said on his Telegram channel that a fire was being extinguished in the center of the city.

"10 units of special equipment and 60 personnel of the Russian Emergencies Ministry for the Kursk Region are working at the scene," Smirnov wrote. "The fire has been localized. There are no reports of casualties. The causes of the fire are being established."

A day before the fires, Smirnov warned residents that there may be "problems with electricity" in the area after a Ukrainian drone attack.

A Ukrainian drone barrage on Monday left 90 percent of Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, without electricity, Ukraine's Energy Ministry said. In the neighboring Voronezh region, electricity supply was also limited in several districts, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported.

"Due to technological failures on the power transmission line in neighboring regions, a shortage of electricity capacity may occur in the Kursk region," Smirnov wrote on his Telegram channel on Monday.

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