MOSCOW: A massive fire sparked by a Ukrainian attack on an oil facility in Russian-annexed Crimea was still burning on Friday, five days after it began, local authorities said.

Ukraine struck the Feodosia oil terminal on the Crimean peninsula’s east coast on Monday, saying it was being used to ship oil products used for the Russian army.

Videos posted on Russian social media this week showed a twirling column of flames erupting from the site of the terminal, while later footage showed plumes of smoke.

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The head of the Russian-installed local administration, Igor Tkachenko, said flaring from the blaze had been stopped but that firefighters were still working on the scene.

“The situation has stabilised and is fully under control,” he said on Telegram. “The work will continue until it (the fire) is completely extinguished.”

Kyiv has ramped up its strikes on Russian oil and gas facilities this year, curbing Moscow’s energy industry and causing billions of dollars’ worth of damage.

Ukraine says the strikes are “fair” retaliation for Russian attacks on its own energy infrastructure that have cut power to millions of people.