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Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck the Port of Tuapse on the Russian Black Sea coast for the third time this month on April 27, triggering a large fire at the oil refining and export complex. Regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev described conditions at the scene as "extremely difficult" as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
Imagery from the scene shows smoke columns reaching thunderhead altitudes. Residents near the refinery have been evacuated and instructed to wear masks and avoid contact with residues. The Tuapse facility processes approximately 12 million tonnes of oil annually, equivalent to 4–5 percent of Russian refining capacity.
The April 27 strike follows attacks on the same facility on April 16 and April 20. The second strike destroyed more than a dozen storage tanks, with heavy fuel oil runoff flowing into a nearby river and out into the Black Sea, leaving a surface slick and depositing tarballs on adjacent beaches.
According to ShipAtlas, the drybulk vessel Sea Pearl S is the only cargo vessel currently in port at Tuapse. There has been no reported damages to vessels.
The Tuapse strikes are part of a broader USF campaign rotating through Russian oil export infrastructure across the Baltic, Black Sea, and beyond, following major strikes on Novorossiysk, Ust-Luga, and Primorsk in March. USF commander Robert Brovdi described the latest attack as "regular thermal disposal" of Russian oil.
Firefighting operations are ongoing. Environmental impact from the latest strike is under assessment.
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