The Tuapse oil refinery has been targeted by Ukrainian drones for the third time in less than two weeks, significantly affecting Russia’s oil production capabilities. The latest strike on April 29 caused a massive fire and led to the evacuation of nearby residents.
The Tuapse facility, with an annual production capacity of about 12 million tonnes, produces approximately 240,000 barrels of oil products daily. However, it halted production on April 16 due to previous drone damage, creating a ripple effect in the Russian oil industry.
At least three people have died as a result of the multiple strikes on the refinery. Following the most recent attack, dense black smoke was observed rising from the site, complicating firefighting efforts.
Environmental consequences are also emerging; one of the drone strikes resulted in an oil spill at sea, raising concerns about potential ecological damage in the region. Vladimir Putin remarked that these attacks against energy facilities are becoming more frequent, indicating a troubling trend for Russian infrastructure.
Aleksandr Kurenkov described the situation as complicated but controllable. Nevertheless, officials have not provided specific timelines for restoring full operations at the refinery.
