Ukrainian drone strikes have ignited major fires in Russia’s city of Tuapse, setting ablaze an oil tanker and the town’s port overnight on Sunday in a move that could disrupt Moscow’s fuel exports. A large part of Russia‘s crude and refined products reach international markets via the port in Russia‘s southern region of Krasnodar. According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), five drone strikes were recorded. The attacks caused a tanker to catch fire and left at least four oil loading piers — used for loading and unloading tankers — out of operation. Port buildings also suffered damage.
Ukraine has recently expanded its campaign of strikes against Russia‘s oil infrastructure. Ukrainian drone and missile attacks have repeatedly targeted major refineries, oil depots and export terminals inside Russian territory. Analysts say the aim is to choke off fuel supplies to the Russian military and deprive Moscow of a major source of export revenue.
Ukraine‘s intelligence service disclosed yesterday that it has conducted more than 150 strikes on Russian oil refineries and pipelines. Tuapse is in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, situated on the northeast shore of the Black Sea. It is home to one of Russia‘s largest Black Sea oil export terminals, and its proximity to Ukraine places it well within range of Ukrainian strikes, the Kyiv Post reports.
Ukraine’s former advisor to International Affairs Minister Anton Gerashchenko posted on X that there are reports that a Rosneft offshore oil terminal might have been hit.
He also said that at Sochi airport in Russia, nearly twenty flights have been delayed due to the drone attack.
He wrote on X: “Most departures from Sochi have been postponed by 4-5 hours, with some delayed by as much as 11 hours. Currently, 17 departures remain delayed. According to Rosaviatsiya, the airport resumed operations at 8 a.m., but by midday, the nighttime flights had still not been carried out. Passengers are being given inflatable mattresses.”
Ukraine didn’t hit just the port, but also the central cargo overpass linking shore tanks to tankers. The strike included drones from the Special Operations Center “A” of the SBU.
