The Tuapse oil refinery has been hit by Ukrainian drones for the third time in less than two weeks. The latest strike caused a massive fire and prompted evacuations of nearby residents.
The refinery has an annual production capacity of about 12 million tonnes. It produces approximately 240,000 barrels of oil products per day.
Production halted on April 16 due to previous drone damage. At least three people have been reported killed due to the multiple strikes on the facility.
As of early Tuesday, dense black smoke was observed rising from the refinery following the drone strike. An oil spill also occurred at sea as a result of one of the attacks.
The Ukrainian military is targeting Russian oil facilities to disrupt funding for the war. Vladimir Putin remarked, “The latest example is the strike against energy facilities in Tuapse.” He noted that drone attacks against civilian infrastructure are becoming more frequent.
Aleksandr Kurenkov stated, “The situation is complicated but controllable.” Firefighting efforts continue at the site amid ongoing concerns about environmental consequences.