Overview
- Ukraine’s long-range drones struck the Tuapse refinery again, which officials said Tuesday was the third hit in two weeks and led to a large fire, evacuations, toxic air warnings, and reports of oily “black rain” and slicks on the Black Sea.
- President Vladimir Putin sent the emergencies minister to oversee the response, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the attacks deepen a global oil shortfall tied to the Middle East war and shipping disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz.
- The Rosneft-owned plant has been shut since April 16 because port damage blocked exports, and it sits on Russia’s Black Sea coast producing diesel, fuel oil, naphtha, and vacuum gasoil.
- Ukraine has also targeted export hubs at Ust-Luga, Primorsk, and Novorossiysk, yet analysts say Russia’s brief output dip has reversed and higher global prices have kept Moscow’s oil earnings steady.
- Experts note Russian air defenses down many incoming drones, so knocking facilities offline for long periods would require larger, sustained waves, and some Western allies have urged Kyiv to scale back to limit energy market risks.