The strike marks the third hit on the Tuapse refinery in under two weeks – after attacks on April 16 and April 20 that triggered major fires, damaged storage tanks, and forced the plant offline.

by Alisa Orlova 

Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s key Black Sea oil hub in Tuapse overnight on Tuesday, April 28, igniting another fire at a strategic refinery already battered by repeated attacks.

Regional authorities said falling drone debris sparked the blaze at the facility, owned by Rosneft. No casualties were reported. More than 120 emergency workers and dozens of vehicles were deployed to contain the fire.

Residents reported multiple explosions after 2 a.m., followed by flames and thick smoke rising over the port city.

The strike marks the third hit on the Tuapse refinery in under two weeks – after attacks on April 16 and April 20 that triggered major fires, damaged storage tanks, and forced the plant offline. The second strike reportedly killed one person.

The refinery – one of Russia’s top 10 and the only major facility on its Black Sea coast – is closely tied to a port terminal used for fuel exports. Damage to storage infrastructure and fires made shipments impossible, halting operations.

Amid the ongoing drone threat, temporary flight restrictions were also imposed overnight at airports in Krasnodar, Gelendzhik, and Sochi.

People in local online groups are accusing the authorities of downplaying the real scale and impact of the strikes.

“Still, they call it explosions and debris. Why do they even write it like this? People can see everything,” one user wrote in the “My Tuapse” group on Telegram

“Admitting the strikes were effective would mean admitting the city and its defenses failed. That’s why it’s always ‘debris’ that gets blamed,” another user responded.

The fallout is now spreading far beyond the facility.

An oil spill caused by earlier strikes has stretched up to 77 kilometers along the Black Sea coastline in just days. Authorities say more than 4,000 cubic meters of contaminated soil and oily water have already been collected, but the pollution continues to expand.

Smoke from the fires has blanketed much of southern Russia – including Sochi and Anapa – and drifted far inland.

In some areas, residents reported “oil rain,” while official monitors recorded benzene, xylene, and soot levels up to twice the safe limit.

Environmental damage is mounting. Dead dolphins have washed ashore near Sochi, alongside reports of fish and bird deaths.

The repeated strikes come amid mounting pressure on Russia’s energy infrastructure. The Tuapse refinery – capable of processing around 12 million metric tons of oil annually – remains offline, with no clear timeline for resuming operations.

Despite the scale of the damage and environmental impact, the Kremlin has not publicly commented on the situation.

While firefighters battled the blaze and emergency crews cleared damaged buildings after repeated attacks, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin continued a routine schedule of meetings and public appearances.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/74894