Main points
- A drone attack on the Tuapse refinery caused a large-scale fire, causing thick smoke and posing a threat to local residents.
- Due to the danger, a partial evacuation of residents has begun while rescuers try to put out the fire.
Large-scale fire in Tuapse / Collage of Channel 24 (Photo from the Internet)
The Russian city of Tuapse had barely recovered from the previous drone attacks and their aftermath when the situation repeated itself on a new scale on the night of April 28. The refinery and port were once again hit, causing the city to be engulfed in thick black smoke from a massive fire at the facility.
Monitoring channels are actively reporting on the consequences of another drone attack on a Russian oil refinery in Tuapse, Krasnodar Krai. Despite all attempts to hide the facts of the drone strikes, the event could not pass by the local propaganda media.
What is known about the fire in Tuapse?
The drone strike ignited fuel tanks, and the fire quickly spread throughout the company. More than 160 rescuers and dozens of pieces of equipment were involved in the elimination of the consequences, but the situation remains difficult.
Black plumes of smoke rise into the sky due to a fire at the Tuapse refinery: watch the video
Authorities say they plan to reinforce the firefighting force because there is a risk of the fire spreading further. Local residents report several hot spots and that the flames may have already spread to another tank.
Due to the danger to the population, the evacuation of people living near the enterprise has even begun. A temporary accommodation point has been set up in a local school.
The strike on the refinery caused a massive fire and smoke in Tuapse: watch the video
Residents of nearby streets are urged to leave their homes immediately and follow the advice of the services. In general, residents reported the sounds of dozens of drones during the massive attack at night.
The city also experienced power outages. After the explosions, thick columns of black smoke rose over Tuapse, covering a significant part of the settlement.
Smoke from a fire at the Tuapse refinery / Photo from the Internet
Environmentalists are talking about serious environmental consequences, which are added to previous cases. In particular, they are talking about oil products getting into the river, which could lead to pollution of the water area.
A similar incident already occurred a few days ago – then the fire was extinguished for more than three days, and the city observed the so-called “oil rain.”
Fire in Tuapse could cause critical environmental consequences: watch video
The current situation is of concern to Russians due to the high probability of a chain reaction: if the fire spreads further to neighboring reservoirs, the consequences for infrastructure and ecology could be much more extensive.
A large-scale fire at a refinery covered almost the entire city with black smoke: watch the video
What other Russian cities have suffered from drone attacks?
On April 25, Ukrainian UAVs reached the Middle Urals, and Russia reported a possible attack near the Chelyabinsk Higher Military Aviation School of Navigators. The facility is located approximately 1,800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Reserve Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military expert Roman Svitan, explained on Channel 24 that this target was not accidental. According to him, the Chelyabinsk region is an important element of Russia's aviation infrastructure, and the strike itself may be part of a larger operation.
Meanwhile, drones have also hit other facilities in Russia. In the Volgograd region, the Ammonia-3 nitrogen complex was hit, damaging a high-pressure sulfuric acid pipeline.
At least a dozen and a half explosions were heard in Yaroslavl on the night of April 26, after which a local oil refinery caught fire. In general, Russia has been subjected to a massive drone attack in recent days – explosions were recorded in several regions:
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Belgorodskaya;
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Voronezh;
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Smolensk;
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Ryazan;
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Bryansk.