Fourth Strike in Two Weeks: Tuapse Oil Terminal Hit Again, Fires Reignite
A new drone strike hit Russia’s Tuapse oil terminal, igniting tanks and causing outages. It marks the fourth attack in two weeks as fires and environmental risks persist.
Kyiv Post
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[UPDATED: May 1, 11:51 am
, Kyiv time. Updated with a report confirming Ukraine’s involvement in the attack.]
Ukraine reportedly carried out another drone strike on the Tuapse marine terminal early on Friday morning, May 1, marking the fourth attack on the site in two weeks.
According to the Russian Krasnodar Krai task force, the strike triggered a fire. A total of 128 personnel and 41 pieces of equipment are involved in firefighting efforts. No casualties have been reported.
Russian outlet RTVI reported that at least two storage tanks at the Tuapse oil refinery caught fire. Photos and videos circulating on social media show thick black smoke rising over the area.
The outlet also reported that the terminal lost power, while Russian milbloggers claimed a broader blackout and internet outage in the city center.
Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) Commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi confirmed a new strike on the Tuapse oil refinery.
“Tuapse, Chornobayevsky style, 4.0. Remake Four,” “Brovdi wrote on Facebook.
USF spokeswoman Olha Melyoshina said during a telethon that another attack on the Tuapse refinery had reduced its production capacity.
According to her, details of the operation are not being disclosed at this time, and official confirmation from the General Staff is still expected.
“The refinery had a capacity of 12 million tons of oil per year. But after the fourth “visit,” I think this capacity has slightly decreased, and we will do everything to ensure the enemy’s capacity continues to decline,” Melyoshina said.
US military chief says Washington’s efforts in the Middle East could become difficult as concerns rise amid the strengthening of relations between Russia and Iran.
She added that strikes on Russia’s oil refining infrastructure are legitimate, as they help fund the Russian army.
“The Unmanned Systems Forces operate exclusively against targets linked to the enemy’s military… oil refining is a source of funding for the enemy’s army,” she said.
According to Melyoshina, such strikes have not only economic but also psychological effects, undermining the perception of safety in Russia’s deep rear.
“If earlier areas 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers from the border were considered safe rear zones for Russia, today the situation is changing,” she said.
Melyoshina also noted that final data for April is still being compiled, but analysts estimate that Russia’s oil refining capacity may have decreased by 20–30%.
She added that the effectiveness of these operations is linked to degrading Russia’s air defense systems.
“Over the winter and early spring, our units managed to destroy more than 100 air defense systems,” the spokeswoman said.
Meanwhile, Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev has not commented on the latest fire in Tuapse, instead congratulating residents on the start of the May holidays.
The latest attack follows a previous strike on April 28, after which fires broke out in Tuapse, prompting evacuations amid fears of an environmental disaster.
Kondratyev said a “large-scale fire” erupted at the refinery, adding that 164 personnel and 46 pieces of equipment were deployed to tackle the blaze, while nearby residents were evacuated and a temporary shelter was set up at a local school.
Ukrainian monitoring channel CyberBoroshno reported that at least four storage tanks were on fire, warning the flames could spread to adjacent facilities. Later, Exilenova+ said additional explosions were recorded, with the fire expanding significantly.
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the strike, saying Ukrainian Defense Forces targeted the Tuapse oil refinery as part of efforts to reduce Russia’s “military-economic potential.”
Subsequent reports indicated that burning petroleum products spilled from damaged tanks onto nearby roads, damaging several vehicles.
Russian outlet Astra said fuel likely leaked from large storage tanks, with eyewitness footage showing contamination spreading along a city street.
Residents reported thick smoke visible from as far as the Krasnaya Polyana mountain resort, about 105 km (65 miles) away.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov to fly to Tuapse immediately, while regional authorities declared a state of emergency in the Tuapse Municipal District.
On April 30, Kondratyev said Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev had visited the region, adding that the refinery fire had been put out.
Kondratyev said specialists had begun installing drainage systems and protective barriers around storage tanks to prevent further oil spills into nearby rivers and the Black Sea. Emergency recovery work is ongoing.
The facility was also targeted on April 16 and April 20, with both fires taking around four days to extinguish. Residents reported “oil rain,” with benzene, xylene, and soot levels in the air exceeding normal concentrations multiple times.
Leaks from damaged storage tanks also led to petroleum products spilling into the Black Sea, with the slick stretching up to 77 kilometers along the coast within a week.
The refinery, owned by Rosneft and among Russia’s ten largest, has reportedly been out of operation since April 16. Russian media reported that by April 27, 24 storage tanks had been destroyed and four more damaged.
