Russian emergency crews entered their third consecutive day Wednesday fighting a massive fire at an oil refinery along the Black Sea coast, sparked by a Ukrainian drone strike last week that has severely compromised air quality in the surrounding area.
The Tuapse refinery, which primarily exports its petroleum products, completely shut down operations Tuesday following the April 16 drone assault, according to two industry sources.
Regional emergency officials from Russia’s southern Krasnodar territory reported Wednesday that extensive firefighting efforts continue at the facility’s maritime terminal. “In Tuapse, firefighting operations are going on for the third day at a large fire at the sea terminal after a drone attack by the Kyiv regime,” the headquarters stated.
Emergency response teams have deployed 276 firefighters along with 77 specialized vehicles to combat the ongoing blaze.
The fire’s toxic emissions, combined with recent precipitation, have produced what officials describe as a “black coating” covering areas surrounding the terminal facility.
Environmental monitoring has detected dangerous chemical concentrations in the atmosphere, including benzene, xylene and particulate matter at levels two to three times above acceptable safety thresholds. Authorities have advised local residents to stay inside their homes, seal windows and doors, and regularly clean indoor surfaces.
“The situation will normalise as soon as the fire is extinguished,” officials stated.
Ukrainian forces have intensified their targeting of Russian energy facilities as the United States, previously involved in mediating peace negotiations to end the conflict, has redirected attention toward the situation in Iran.
Russian authorities report that strikes on both April 16 and April 20 against Tuapse caused significant damage to port transportation systems and ignited petroleum storage facilities.
