Another drone strike by Ukraine on Russia’s Black Sea port of Tuapse, the fourth in recent weeks, caused a fire at the city’s oil terminal without any reported injuries, local officials confirmed on Friday morning.
The ongoing attacks have disrupted daily life in the town located around 1,300 kilometers south of Moscow. Authorities have taken measures such as closing schools and advising residents to limit outdoor activities and avoid drinking tap water.
According to the general headquarters in the Krasnodar Region, the fire at the seaport terminal was a result of a drone attack by the Kyiv regime. Emergency crews, including 128 firefighters and 41 emergency vehicles, were dispatched to the site to manage the blaze.
Following a previous Ukrainian attack that ignited a massive fire at the terminal earlier in the week, the area has been under a state of emergency. The aftermath of these attacks, including oil spills in the coastal waters, has had a significant impact on Tuapse, with oil-contaminated beaches and polluted air and waterways.
Emergency teams have been actively working to clean up the affected coastline areas. Rospotrebnadzor, the consumer safety watchdog, has advised residents to stay indoors and keep windows closed due to elevated benzene levels in the air. Residents are also instructed to consume only bottled water as a precautionary measure.
Recent drone strikes on an oil refinery near Perm and in the Ural Mountains region have heightened tensions. Ukraine’s military reported targeting a refinery in the Orenburg region, approximately 1,500 kilometers away from Ukraine.
Kyiv’s recent intensified pressure on Russia aims to disrupt oil facilities, depots, and ports, impacting Moscow’s funding for the ongoing war in Ukraine. The conflict between the two countries has been ongoing for over four years, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 marking the beginning of a prolonged state of war.