Ukrainian drones hit the large Russian Black Sea oil facility terminals at Tuapse for the third time in 12 days, sparking another billowing fire and prompting evacuations.
The April 28 attack, which Ukraine's military confirmed, came soon after firefighters extinguished the blazes from previous attacks. The region now faces a looming environmental disaster, with large amounts of oil washing up on local beaches and reports of oil droplets raining down from the sky.
"A large-scale fire broke out at the oil refinery following an attack by enemy drones," said Venyamin Kondratyev, the governor of Russia's southern Krasnodar region.
Russia's Smoldering Black Sea Oil Refinery Struck Again
"An evacuation is currently under way to ensure the safety of residents living near the oil refinery," he added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin received a report from Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov on the situation in Tuapse after Ukrainian drone strikes, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Russian state media reports.
Putin instructed the emergency minister to fly to Tuapse within hours to oversee firefighting efforts at oil storage facilities, Peskov said.
The Tuapse site includes the refinery, which is operated by Russian state oil giant Rosneft and can process around 240,000 barrels of crude oil per day and supplies products such as fuel oil and diesel, as well as Russia's main Black Sea oil export terminal and related facilities.
It has been only four days since the major fire at the oil terminal was fully extinguished following the previous attacks.
Ukraine's drone forces commander Robert Brovdi described the April 28 attack on the Russian oil refinery as "Tuapse 3.0" and a "remake of Groundhog Day."
Oil-contaminated rain and heavy smog blanketed Tuapse last week after the previous Ukrainian drone strikes. Residents reported black droplets falling from the sky and air that was difficult to breathe.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported 186 Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the country overnight on April 28.
Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian oil facilities in recent months, curtailing exports and hampering Moscow's capacity to take advantage of a spike in global energy prices prompted by the Iran war and Tehran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military said Russian forces launched 123 drones in the same period hitting several regions across the country.
In the southern city of Kryviy Rih, one person was killed and five were wounded in a Russian attack, the regional head reported on April 28.
"Over the past week, the Russian Federation has launched approximately 1,900 attack drones, nearly 1,400 guided aerial bombs, and around 60 missiles of various types against Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an April 27 post on X.
