Drones ignite fire at Rosneft's Black Sea refinery

Drones attacked the refinery in Tuapse, Krasnodar Krai, on the night of March 13 to 14. According to information from Russian Telegram channels, residents heard about 10 loud explosions around 9:00 PM Eastern Time. Only after this was an air raid alarm announced, and a fire broke out near the facility.

Residents began posting photos and videos of the burning refinery online. The Mash channel on Telegram reported that the explosions caused the fire at the Tuapse refinery. Russian sources claim that the fire broke out due to falling debris from a downed drone.

The Governor of Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratyev, confirmed the attack on the refinery and informed that one of the fuel warehouses caught fire. "The fire covers an area of over 1,000 square metres," he added. This information comes from the "Pravda" website.

The refinery in Tuapse, owned by Rosneft, is one of the ten largest in Russia and the only one on the Black Sea coast. It processes 12 million tonnes of oil annually, and its products are exported through a maritime terminal. Despite the quick response of firefighters, the situation was serious, although no casualties were reported.

The attack on the Tuapse refinery is part of a broader offensive by Ukrainian drones, which have recently struck several Russian facilities. Russian air defence proved ineffective, highlighting the growing tensions in the region. Despite shooting down eight drones near Tuapse, the attack caused concern among local authorities and residents.

The situation in the region remains tense, and military actions continue, affecting Russia's energy stability. These events show how fragile the current geopolitical situation is and how easily it can impact key sectors of the economy.