The Tuapse refinery, located in Russia's Krasnodar region, processes 12 million tons of crude oil annually, all of it destined for export through the adjacent marine terminal, making it a strategically significant target.
Regional Governor Benjamin Kondratyev ordered schools and kindergartens closed following the attack. Russia's state health authority Rospotrebnadzor urged residents to shut their windows, clean their homes frequently, rinse their eyes, nose and throat regularly, and drink plenty of water due to elevated concentrations of harmful substances in the air.
Rosneft’s Tuapse Oil Depot and Export Facility in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, is currently ablaze, with dozens of tanks seen burning as thick black smoke pours into the sky, following a large-scale drone attack tonight by Ukraine against oil infrastructure across Southern Russia.
Residents posted photographs on social media showing what appeared to be an oily rain falling on the city. "At first we thought it was ordinary dust, but then we realized it was traces of burnt crude oil", one resident told the Astra news portal.
The strike also caused a large oil spill near the port, with a slick of black substance spreading across more than 10,000 square meters. A local river was also contaminated. Authorities said booms had been deployed and several vessels dispatched to contain the spill.
Nearly 250 firefighters remained on site as efforts to extinguish the burning oil storage tanks continued.
(jh)
Source: TVP Info, Polish Radio