Ukraine continues its attacks on Russia's oil export infrastructure in an effort to disrupt revenues generated from rising oil prices. Following repeated assaults on Baltic ports, Ukraine recently launched two separate attacks on the Tuapse Port in the Black Sea.

The regional governor described the nighttime attack as a 'large-scale drone strike' targeting the port and the nearby refinery. It was reported that the refinery, operated by Rosneft, has an annual capacity of 12 million metric tons and is used for the production of naphtha, fuel, and diesel.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that 112 drones targeting the Black Sea region and Crimea were neutralized overnight. Local sources reported that debris also hit other structures in the city, in addition to the port and refinery.

The Mayor of Tuapse stated, 'Fires at the marine terminals are continuing fiercely.' It was noted that a total of 246 personnel and 73 vehicles and equipment participated in the firefighting efforts.

Number of Injured Rises to Three

Initial reports indicated that one person was injured and another was hospitalized for treatment. Subsequent reports revealed that the number of injured had risen to three. It was stated that one of the injured individuals experienced gas poisoning due to damage to the natural gas pipeline caused by the debris.

Shipments Diverted to Tuapse After Damage in the Baltic

Last week, Reuters reported that following damage to Russia's oil export infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, a portion of the shipments had been redirected to the Tuapse refinery. The report indicated that limited exports had resumed, but a significant amount of oil was being transferred to Tuapse.

Reuters also noted that the facility on the Black Sea coast processed approximately 500,000 tons of oil in March.

2.4 Kilometers of Oil Spill Reported

Ukraine claimed that on April 16, an oil spill approximately 2.4 kilometers long occurred at the Tuapse terminal, spreading over an area of about 9 square kilometers in the Black Sea.

It was reported that more than 150 personnel and 49 pieces of equipment were deployed to extinguish the fires, and six port vessels, including high-speed boats and oil recovery ships, were used in the cleanup efforts.

Vysotsk Port Also Targeted

Ukraine reportedly conducted a drone strike on the Vysotsk Port in the Baltic between Friday morning and Saturday morning. Russia announced that 27 drones were shot down in the region.

Located approximately 160 kilometers from St. Petersburg, the port stands out as one of Russia's significant oil export centers.

Ukraine also claimed to have targeted a drone factory, ammunition depots, and an oil storage facility in Crimea.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye