Fire in Tuapse: Ukraine is increasingly attacking Russia’s oil industry.Image: X
April 20, 2026, 07:42April 20, 2026, 12:24 p.m
At least one person has been killed in another Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian Black Sea port of Tuapse in the Krasnodar region. There is also one injured person, wrote Governor Veniamin Kondratiev on the Telegram platform. There was a fire in the port and drone debris damaged buildings in the city, including a school and a kindergarten. A gas pipe was also damaged.
On major social media platforms, residents reported explosions, two burning tanks at the refinery and high flames in the port area. Fires and a large cloud of black smoke could be seen in videos that were initially not verifiable. The public prosecutor’s office reported damage to the port’s infrastructure. City authorities said schools remained closed.
A video shows the fire near Tuapse.Video: Watson
Russia is losing revenue from oil exports
The port was the target of a Ukrainian attack last week. Ukraine has been defending itself against a large-scale Russian invasion with Western help for more than four years. As part of its defensive campaign, it is increasingly attacking Russia’s oil industry, which is important for Moscow’s financing of the war. The number of victims and the extent of the damage are disproportionate to the devastating consequences of Russian attacks in Ukraine.
On the Black Sea, Tuapse is one of the most important ports for Russian oil exports. There is also a refinery there that belongs to the largest Russian oil company, Rosneft. Tuapse is located about 75 kilometers northwest of the large city of Sochi.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Kiev’s attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure had resulted in a loss of at least $2.3 billion in sales revenue so far. The Ukrainian newspaper “Kyiv Independent” reported through drone attacks and seizure of tankers of the so-called Russian shadow fleet Around 40 percent of Russian oil export capacities were paralyzed in April.
(nil/sda/dpa)