A fresh Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s vital Black Sea port of Tuapse has sparked a massive fire at the sea terminal, local officials confirmed early on Friday.
The strike caused no immediate casualties, but Tuapse has faced repeated aerial attacks, with its oil terminal a key target. The disruption has affected daily life, prompting health warnings, school closures and restrictions on water use.
"In Tuapse, as a result of a drone attack by the Kyiv regime, a fire broke out on the territory of the seaport terminal," the General Headquarters in the Krasnodar Region said in a statement on Telegram. It added that 128 firefighters and 41 emergency vehicles were deployed to contain the blaze and prevent it spreading to nearby storage facilities.
The Tuapse area has been under a state of emergency since Tuesday, after an earlier drone strike caused a major fire at the city’s main oil refinery.
That attack halted production and led to an environmental spill, releasing unrefined oil into the Black Sea. Although the fire was extinguished on Thursday morning, according to the regional governor, the damage remains visible.
Polluted beaches, poor air quality and contaminated waterways highlight the environmental impact of the attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Emergency workers cleared five oil-contaminated coastal areas on Thursday. Officials said 12,600 cubic metres of polluted material had already been removed.
Health risks remain a concern. Russia’s consumer safety watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, urged residents to limit time outdoors and keep windows closed due to high benzene levels following the refinery fire.
Local authorities also advised residents to use bottled water and avoid tap or spring water due to possible contamination. All May holiday public events in the city have been cancelled.
The measures have prompted criticism online, with some residents questioning official reassurances. "How about she comes to visit us and tries our fresh air?" one resident wrote on Wednesday, responding to comments by Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova that there were no long-term health risks. "Everything is safe and under control!" another person wrote following the cancellation of outdoor events.
The attack on Tuapse is part of a broader Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
On Thursday, drones struck an oil refinery near Perm for the second consecutive time. Ukraine’s military intelligence also said it had hit a refinery in the southern Orenburg region.
Both locations are around 1,500 kilometres (900 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory, underscoring the extended range of Kyiv’s drone capabilities.
Ukraine has intensified strikes inside Russia in recent weeks, aiming to disrupt oil production, storage and exports - key sources of revenue for Moscow’s war effort.
Rising global oil prices, partly driven by tensions involving Iran, have increased the financial impact of such attacks.
Kyiv says the strikes are a response to sustained Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, which have caused civilian casualties and widespread power outages during winter. The attacks on Tuapse suggest Ukraine can now project similar pressure inside Russia.
A senior U.S. administration official says a ceasefire agreed with Iran in early April has effectively ended hostilities for an imminent congressio...
Tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated after renewed warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump that military action against Iran ha...
Minval Politika has released further footage it says shows former International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis ...
The Republic of Uzbekistan and the Czech Republic have agreed to increase bilateral trade to $1 billion and explore the resumption of direct flight...
Hundreds of protesters and emergency services clashed in a remote Northern Territory town overnight following the arrest of a man suspected of abdu...
Tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated after renewed warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump that military action against Iran has not been ruled out, alongside claims that Iranian leadership is eager to reach a deal.
Minval Politika has released further footage it says shows former International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo discussing alleged funding behind campaigns linked to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Hundreds of protesters and emergency services clashed in a remote Northern Territory town overnight following the arrest of a man suspected of abducting and murdering a five-year-old Indigenous girl, police confirmed on Friday.
U.S. passenger air services to Venezuela resumed on Thursday (30 April), as an American Airlines flight landed in Caracas, restoring a commercial link between the two countries after seven years.
A report published by Minval Politika has raised new questions over alleged efforts by Luis Moreno Ocampo to shape international pressure against Azerbaijan and influence political dynamics around Armenia.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phase” for the Strait of Hormuz, while a senior adviser said U.S. blockade efforts would fail and could trigger confrontation.
Shares in Meta Platforms fell sharply in extended trading on Wednesday after the tech giant raised its annual capital spending forecast by billions of dollars.
A senior U.S. administration official says a ceasefire agreed with Iran in early April has effectively ended hostilities for an imminent congressional war powers 1 May deadline, arguing that the absence of any military exchanges for more than three weeks removes the need for further authorisation.
U.S. passenger air services to Venezuela resumed on Thursday (30 April), as an American Airlines flight landed in Caracas, restoring a commercial link between the two countries after seven years.
Hungary’s prime minister-elect Péter Magyar has made his first high-level visit to Brussels after a landslide victory, signalling a sharp shift following 16 years of rule by Viktor Orbán.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 1st of May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The legal team of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi plans to meet the detained former leader this weekend after she was transferred to house arrest in the capital by the military-backed government, a representative said on Friday.
The federal agent injured in the attack at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner was not hit by friendly fire, U.S. President Donald Trump and the Secret Service Director said on Thursday (30 April).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment