A Ukrainian drone attack triggered a “large-scale fire” at Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea, forcing the evacuation of nearby buildings, Russian officials said on Tuesday.The refinery, owned by Rosneft, had already suspended operations since April 16 following an earlier drone strike, according to industry sources. It mainly supplies oil products for export.Reuters reported that Ukraine did not immediately comment on the latest attack. Kyiv has intensified strikes inside Russia since March as US-brokered talks on the war in Ukraine remain paused, with Washington’s focus shifting largely to the Iran conflict.Veniamin Kondratiev, governor of Russia’s Krasnodar region, said the latest strike caused a significant fire at the facility.“Another serious incident has occurred in Tuapse. A large-scale fire broke out at an oil refinery after a drone attack,” Kondratiev said on Telegram.The Tuapse refinery is one of Russia’s major Black Sea energy facilities and has previously been targeted in drone attacks.Sergei Boyko, head of the Tuapse district, ordered evacuations in streets surrounding the refinery due to fears the fire could spread to nearby areas.Authorities did not immediately provide casualty figures or details on the scale of damage beyond the fire. Emergency services were deployed to contain the blaze.The refinery and nearby Tuapse port have faced repeated attacks in recent months. One earlier strike caused an oil spill at sea and a fire that took several days to extinguish.Last week, local residents were advised to remain indoors, keep windows shut and wipe surfaces after byproducts from previous fires mixed with rainwater, creating a “black coating” in areas near the terminal, local authorities said.The Kremlin said steps were being taken in response to the latest strike. According to Reuters, Kremlin officials said the necessary measures were underway following the Ukrainian drone attack on the refinery.The Tuapse refinery has an annual production capacity of about 12 million metric tons, or 240,000 barrels per day. It produces naphtha, diesel, fuel oil and vacuum gasoil.Its Black Sea location makes it strategically important for Russian fuel exports.
