Ukrainian drones attacked the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region on July 22, causing a fire at the facility. According to sources within Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), the drones struck the refinery, which is Russia’s main oil terminal on the Black Sea, producing around two million tons of product annually for export. The attack occurred early in the morning, with drone debris causing infrastructure damage and a fire that specialists are currently extinguishing. Russian officials confirmed the incident, stating that the fire covered an area of 50 square meters and involved extensive firefighting efforts.
Footage shared on the Ostrozhno, Novosti Telegram channel showed a drone reaching the refinery before exploding, contradicting claims by the Russian Ministry of Defense that their air defenses shot down the attacking drones.
🇷🇺 #Russia: A Ukrainian drone attack hit the Tuapse oil refinery in the Krasnodar region this morning. The refinery is located along Russia’s Black Sea coast, approximately 450km from the front lines. pic.twitter.com/b8e8oTiLCP
— POPULAR FRONT (@PopularFront_) July 22, 2024
The Tuapse refinery attack was part of a broader series of Ukrainian drone strikes, including an assault on the Morozovsk military air base in the Rostov region. This base, which houses Russian Su-27 and Su-34 bombers used in airstrikes against Ukraine, also reported explosions and a subsequent fire. Local reports indicated that at least eight drones participated in the attacks, with additional explosions heard around the refinery later in the morning.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that 75 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight across multiple regions, including the Krasnodar and Rostov regions, as well as over the Black and Azov seas. However, the extent of the damage to both the refinery and the military air base suggests that some drones evaded interception.
These drone strikes come amid ongoing Russian offensives in eastern Ukraine, particularly around the town of Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub. Ukrainian military officials reported heavy fighting and significant Russian losses as forces continue to press toward Pokrovsk, less than 15 miles from Russian-occupied territory.
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