Overview
- The Tuapse refinery, hit Tuesday for the third time in 12 days, was declared extinguished by Russian officials on Thursday morning.
- Ukraine said it carried out all three strikes, and residents described black, oily rain, choking fumes, and animals coated in fuel as volunteers worked in hazardous conditions.
- Local reports said at least 24 storage tanks were destroyed and more were damaged, with evacuations ordered near the site and officials conceding that cleanup remains insufficient.
- Satellite imagery reviewed by CNN showed oil traces stretching at least 50 kilometers from the coast, after spills flowed from the Tuapse River into the Black Sea.
- Ukrainian drones also struck energy sites in Perm and Orsk on Wednesday, extending a campaign that analysts say will delay refinery restarts and limit product exports once operations resume.