A drone strike in the early hours of March 14 triggered a massive fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on Russia’s Black Sea coast, a key facility supplying fuel to the country’s military.
Residents of the city of Tuapse, located in the Krasnodar region, reported hearing as many as ten explosions shortly after 2:00 a.m. local time before air raid sirens began sounding. Moments later, a large fire erupted at the refinery, which officials confirmed had spread across more than 1,000 square meters by 5:00 a.m.
Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev confirmed on Telegram that a fuel storage tank had been struck in the attack, and that over 120 personnel and nearly 40 pieces of equipment were deployed to contain the blaze.
This is the second drone strike on the Tuapse refinery in less than a month.
A previous attack on February 26 damaged a crude oil pipeline and a key refining unit, causing a minor spill, according to Russian media outlet Astra.
The Tuapse refinery, operated by state-run energy giant Rosneft, is among Russia’s largest. With an annual processing capacity of 12 million tons of crude oil, the facility specializes in primary oil refining and produces diesel, fuel oil, straight-run gasoline, and aviation kerosene.
According to Ukrainian officials, the refinery’s strategic location near a major Black Sea terminal gives it outsized importance for fueling Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and military operations in the country’s southern regions.
“The Tuapse refinery was attacked—this is not the first strike,” said Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation. “It is one of the largest in Russia… a key part of the logistical chain for fueling military equipment and aviation.”
Wider Campaign Targets Russian Oil Infrastructure
The Tuapse strike appears to be part of a broader campaign targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure. Around the same time, drones also attacked the Novokuybyshevsk refinery in the Samara region—another facility owned by Rosneft.
While official details on that incident remain limited, Astra cited reports from local residents of loud explosions, and Telegram channels indicated that a fire broke out at the site.
Russia has not publicly attributed the strikes to Ukraine, but Kyiv has increasingly hinted at its use of long-range drone capabilities to pressure Russian infrastructure deep behind the front lines.
As of Thursday, no casualties have been reported from either refinery attack.
