Large-scale fires broke out in Tuapse, Russia, following a new drone attack on an oil refinery and a marine terminal, prompting local authorities to announce evacuations amid fears of environmental disaster.
The attack prompted temporary restrictions on aircraft movements, introduced at airports in Krasnodar, Gelendzhik, and Sochi.
The governor of Russia’s Krasnodar Territory, Veniamin Kondratyev, wrote on Telegram:
“Another serious emergency in Tuapse. Due to an attack by enemy drones, a large-scale fire broke out at the refinery.”
According to him, 164 personnel and 46 units of equipment were involved in extinguishing the fire.
“For the safety of residents living near the refinery, evacuations are underway. A temporary accommodation center has been set up at local School No. 6. I urge residents to follow all recommendations,” the statement said.
The Ukrainian monitoring Telegram channel CyberBoroshno reported that at least four tanks were burning at the refinery following the strike.
“If in previous attacks the tank farm was hit, this time the refinery itself was directly targeted… There is a possibility that the fire could spread to neighboring tanks,” the report said.
Later, the Ukrainian monitoring Telegram channel Exilenova+ clarified that as of 11 a.m. Kyiv time, one tank had likely been extinguished.
A subsequent update from Exilenova+ included video footage confirming that the refinery continues to burn.
In a report at 2:06 p.m., Exilenova+ said that additional tanks had exploded at the Tuapse refinery, adding that the scale of the fire had increased significantly.
At the same time, partisans from the Atesh movement reacted to the strike, writing on Telegram:
“In Tuapse, it’s burning so well for a reason. Preparations were being made for the strikes. We’ll show you soon.”
Ukraine’s General Staff has confirmed damage to the Tuapse oil refinery.
“As part of efforts to reduce the military-economic potential of the Russian aggressor, early on April 28, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out a second strike on the Tuapse oil refinery in Krasnodar Territory,” the statement on Telegram said.
According to the military, strike unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) hit the facility, triggering a fire. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
“The Defense Forces of Ukraine will continue to systematically take measures aimed at stopping Russia’s armed aggression,” the statement added.
Later reports revealed that burning petroleum products spilled from damaged storage tanks directly onto the roadway in Tuapse.
“The tank boiled over and ejected petroleum products, resulting in fuel and oil spilling onto the road and damaging several vehicles,” a representative of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported to Governor Kondratyev during his visit to the city.
The governor later published a video of the report on his Telegram channel.
Russian outlet Astra, after reviewing eyewitness footage, said the spill stretched along Koshkina Street – from the oil refinery site to building No. 30.
According to the report, the fuel likely leaked from large domed tanks typically used to store heavy petroleum fractions such as fuel oil.
Residents have described the incident as a disaster.
“This is an environmental disaster. I don’t know what else to call it. Look, even the puddles in our city are black. You walk down the street, and your shoes stick to the pavement,” one Tuapse resident told Novaya Gazeta Evropa.
Another local reported a strong, lingering odor across the city.
“The most amazing thing is that you get used to it. After 15–20 minutes, you simply don’t notice it. Then your throat starts to itch. And by evening, your head is absolutely splitting,” he said.
Smoke from the fire at the Tuapse oil refinery is visible from the Krasnaya Polyana mountain resort, located 105 km from Tuapse.
Authorities in Tuapse had earlier announced the evacuation of residents from Koshkina, Pushkina, and nearby streets. Water supply was cut off on more than 30 streets due to a power failure at a pumping station located on the refinery’s premises.
Sergey Boyko, head of the municipal district, said water would be restored for just one hour in the evening to allow residents to stock up.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov to immediately fly to Tuapse. The Krasnodar Krai task force has declared a regional state of emergency in the Tuapse Municipal District.
Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s key Black Sea oil hub in Tuapse overnight into Tuesday, igniting another fire at a strategic refinery already hit repeatedly in recent days.
Regional authorities claimed falling drone debris caused the blaze at the Rosneft-owned facility. No casualties were reported. Residents reported multiple explosions after 2 a.m., followed by flames and thick smoke rising over the port city.
The strike marks the third hit on the Tuapse refinery in less than two weeks, following attacks on April 16 and April 20 that triggered major fires, damaged storage tanks, and forced the plant offline.
The refinery – one of Russia’s top 10 and the only major facility on its Black Sea coast – is closely linked to a port terminal used for fuel exports. Damage to storage infrastructure has halted shipments and operations.
Locals accused authorities of downplaying the scale of the attacks.
“Still, they call it explosions and debris. Why do they even write it like this? People can see everything,” one user wrote in the “My Tuapse” Telegram group.
“Admitting the strikes were effective would mean admitting the city and its defenses failed. That’s why it’s always ‘debris’ that gets blamed,” another responded.
The fallout is spreading beyond the facility.
An oil spill from earlier strikes has stretched up to 77 kilometers (48 miles) along the Black Sea coast within days. Authorities say more than 4,000 cubic meters of contaminated soil and oily water have been collected, but pollution continues to spread.
Smoke from the fires has blanketed southern Russia, including Sochi and Anapa, and drifted inland.
In some areas, residents reported “oil rain,” while official monitors recorded benzene, xylene, and soot levels up to twice safe limits.
Environmental damage is mounting, with dead dolphins washing ashore near Sochi and reports of fish and bird deaths.
The Tuapse refinery, capable of processing around 12 million metric tons of oil annually, remains offline with no clear timeline for reopening.