A major Russian oil refinery on the Black Sea has been struck by Ukrainian drones for the third time in two weeks, triggering a massive fire, toxic smoke warnings, and the evacuation of nearby residents. The Tuapse refinery, one of the largest in Russia and located in the southern Krasnodar region, processes around 12 million tonnes of oil annually — roughly 240,000 barrels per day — producing diesel, fuel oil, and intermediate petroleum products.
More than 160 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze in what regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev described as "extremely difficult conditions," praising their efforts as "true heroism." Local district head Sergei Boyko asked residents of streets near the facility to evacuate, and a temporary shelter was opened at a local school. A regional crisis centre warned that combustion products were being released into the atmosphere, urging residents to wear masks, keep windows closed, rinse their eyes and throats, and limit time outdoors. A local environmental journalist described "a huge cloud of black smoke over the town" and a persistent smell of burning. No casualties were reported in this latest strike.
It is the third hit on the Tuapse refinery since 16 April. Earlier strikes caused a significant oil spill in the Black Sea, and residents reported black, oily rain falling across the city. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his emergencies minister to travel to Tuapse to oversee firefighting and cleanup operations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine of destabilising global energy markets by targeting oil storage infrastructure used for exports.
Ukraine's military confirmed the strike, framing it as part of a broader campaign to "reduce the military-economic potential of the Russian aggressor." Ukrainian officials argue that oil refineries and energy infrastructure are legitimate military targets because petroleum revenues directly fund Russia's full-scale invasion, launched in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure in March alone cost the country at least 2.3 billion dollars in lost oil revenues. Ukraine's commander-in-chief noted that Kyiv has intensified drone operations against military and industrial targets in recent weeks, with reports suggesting as many as fifteen Russian refineries were struck in March.
The strikes underline Ukraine's evolving strategy of using long-range drones to apply economic pressure deep inside Russian territory, while Russia continues to launch its own attacks: separately, Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko reported one person injured and several fires — including one at a cemetery — following a Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian capital.