Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery on Tuesday, igniting a massive new blaze and prompting authorities to order evacuations near the Black Sea facility. This marks the third strike on the Rosneft-operated site in under two weeks, with flames visible across the port city as emergency crews battle the fire.
Local officials confirmed the assault hit the refinery, which processes around 240,000 barrels of crude oil daily and serves as a key export hub for fuel oil and diesel. Krasnodar region Governor Venyamin Kondratyev announced evacuations for residents in adjacent areas to ensure public safety, while no immediate casualties were reported. Smoke plumes rose high, exacerbating pollution already spreading along the coastline from prior hits.
Ukraine’s military acknowledged the operation, part of intensified strikes targeting Russia’s oil infrastructure to disrupt war funding. The facility was first struck on April 16, followed by a second hit on April 19-20 that reignited fires at tank farms, and a third around April 27 before Tuesday’s attack. Fires from earlier incidents raged for days, shutting down operations and impacting the region’s tourism.
Rosneft’s Tuapse complex includes the refinery and Black Sea oil terminal, critical for exports amid ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Russian rescuers reported multiple explosions on April 27-28, with tanks ablaze and ongoing efforts to contain the inferno.
The strikes align with a broader Ukrainian drone offensive on Russian energy assets, including prior Tuapse attacks that caused at least one death and environmental damage. Wikipedia notes the incidents as a major industrial and wartime disaster, with UAVs triggering fires, infrastructure losses, and contamination in mid-April 2026.
Reuters reported Moscow officials detailing the latest blaze on April 28, confirming Ukraine’s role in the repeated disruptions. President Vladimir Putin has not yet commented publicly, as the port remains offline.
Emergency teams, including hundreds of firefighters, continue operations amid thick smoke, with coastal pollution worsening. The refinery’s repeated targeting underscores vulnerabilities in Russia’s Black Sea energy exports.