Vladimir Putin has suffered another dramatic blow after a drilling rig collapsed and burst into flames in Siberia, leaving three workers in critical condition and raising fresh questions over the stability of the Kremlin’s oil infrastructure. Footage shared by Ukrainian blogger WarTranslated on social media platform X shows the moment the towering structure gives way, consumed by fire. In the clip, flames shoot out from the base of the rig as the upper deck begins to buckle. Moments later, the entire structure slants and crashes to the ground, while black smoke billows into the sky.
WarTranslated posted: “In Russia’s Siberia, a drilling rig collapsed. Russian media report that wells caught fire last night at the site, and the blaze continues, with two 25-metre flames still burning. Three people were injured and are now in intensive care in critical condition.” The exact location has not been officially confirmed, and there has so far been no public comment from Russian authorities or state-run energy companies.
However, multiple local outlets cited by WarTranslated have reported that the fire began late on Sunday, possibly due to a well ignition, and continued into Monday as emergency crews fought to contain it.
The blaze is the latest in a series of fires and explosions that have plagued Russia’s energy infrastructure over the past two years.
In December 2022, an explosion at the Angarsk refinery in Irkutsk killed two people and injured several more. In 2023, a major blaze erupted at the Novy Urengoy gas processing plant, disrupting operations temporarily. That same year, a fire at an oil depot in Bryansk prompted speculation about possible cross-border sabotage linked to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
While not all of these incidents have been linked to outside interference, analysts have repeatedly warned that Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure is vulnerable.
Despite these challenges, Russia remains heavily reliant on oil and gas exports. The energy sector accounted for more than 40% of federal revenues in 2023, and while the Kremlin has been forced to reorient sales away from Europe following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, oil and gas continue to bankroll large parts of the economy – including military spending.
Russian oil exports have shifted largely to Asia, with China and India emerging as top buyers. However, logistical bottlenecks, discounted prices and the growing cost of maintaining production under sanction have chipped away at profit margins.
The repeated breakdown of infrastructure – whether due to sabotage, poor maintenance or equipment failure – adds further pressure.
The full scale of the damage from the most recent incident remains unclear.
It is not known if the fire has since been fully extinguished or if production in the area has been halted indefinitely.
Neither it is clear whether the operator of the site was Rosneft, Lukoil, or another regional player.
In past incidents, Russian state media have downplayed or delayed coverage, and it remains to be seen whether the collapse will be formally acknowledged.
For now, the footage posted online offers a rare glimpse into the reality of Russia’s energy sector under strain – and a reminder of the human cost when such facilities fail.