The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in early 2022 and is still ongoing (here and here). Recently, reports emerged that Ukraine launched a drone attack on a Russian airbase, dubbed Operation Spider’s Web. In this context, a video (here and here) went viral showing a massive fire between tankers, resembling an industrial plant, with thick smoke billowing into the sky. It is shared with the claim that it shows a Russian retaliatory strike on Ukraine. Let’s find out the truth behind this video.
Claim: The viral video showing a burning plant with massive smoke is from Russia’s recent retaliation against Ukraine following renewed attacks.
Fact: The video is not related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It actually shows a fire at Al Hamriyah Port in Sharjah, UAE, caused by the ignition of petrochemical materials on 31 May 2025. Multiple official reports confirm the incident took place in the UAE. Hence, the claim is FALSE.
To find the truth, we closely examined the video. At one point, the plant’s gate is visible, displaying the name “Asia Petro Chem” in both English and Arabic – Arabic is not an official language of Ukraine. A Google search led us to the company’s official website and LinkedIn account, both confirming that Asia Petro Chem is a UAE-based company established in 1989.
Next, we performed a reverse image search on Google, which led us to several versions of the same viral video on X (here, here, and here). One of them was uploaded by LW World News on 1 June 2025, with the caption: “UAE: 📹 The massive fire that broke out on Saturday at Al Hamriyah Port in Sharjah is contained now. It was caused by the ignition of petrochemical materials.” This confirms that the incident took place in Sharjah, UAE, not in Ukraine.
Another result led us to the same video uploaded by The National News on YouTube on 01 June 2025. The caption read: “Huge fire at Sharjah’s Al Hamriyah Port brought under control,” and the report mentioned that no injuries were reported.
Further research into the incident led us to detailed news reports (here, here and here), which stated that a massive fire broke out at Sharjah’s Al Hamriyah Port on 31 May 2025, caused by the ignition of petrochemical materials. The fire was fully contained within 24 hours through a swift and coordinated response involving multiple local and national agencies. Cooling operations have begun, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause. No injuries were reported.
Based on the available evidence, it is clear that the viral video is not from Ukraine but from Sharjah, UAE. While Reuters has reported that Russia has resumed attacks on Ukraine and casualties have been confirmed, this viral video has no connection to those events.
To sum up, this video of a burning petrochemical factory in Sharjah is falsely shared as footage of a Russian retaliation against Ukraine.
