Fourth strike in two weeks: Ukrainian drones hit Tuapse oil refinery again
Photo: Tuapse oil refinery after the drone attack (Russian media)
Ukraine’s Defense Forces have once again struck the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia. A large-scale fire broke out at the facility following explosions, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and the Unmanned Systems Forces.
Strikes on oil refineries
On the night of May 1, units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces hit infrastructure at the Tuapse refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region.
The drone strike ignited a fire involving fuel oil mixtures stored in tanks. According to the Unmanned Systems Forces, this marks the fourth attack on the facility in the past two weeks.
Ukrainian intelligence agencies said such operations reduce Russia’s ability to continue its war against Ukraine.
The SBU emphasized that it continues to inflict significant damage on Russia’s economy by targeting facilities that generate oil revenue for the state budget.
Ukraine’s Defense Forces have once again struck the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia pic.twitter.com/RDvi5eJHjU
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) May 1, 2026
Additional targets hit
Over the past day, Ukraine’s Defense Forces also struck facilities at the Perm oil refinery in Russia’s Perm region.
Damage to the AVT-4 primary oil processing unit was confirmed, followed by a fire at the plant.
In addition, Ukrainian forces successfully targeted a Buk-M3 air defense system, ammunition depots, and enemy drone control centers.
The General Staff stressed that Ukraine’s Defense Forces will continue systematic operations aimed at halting Russia’s armed aggression.
Tuapse refinery
The Tuapse refinery is Russia’s only oil refinery located on the Black Sea coast. It has a capacity of about 12 million tons of oil per year and serves as a key production and logistics hub linking the extraction, refining, and export of Russian oil.
Following the fourth strike overnight on May 1, the refinery’s production capacity has declined.
Earlier, on April 30, new satellite images circulated online showing the aftermath of previous strikes, confirming significant infrastructure damage.
On April 28, Ukrainian drones carried out a triple strike on an oil terminal in Tuapse. A massive fire engulfed additional storage tanks, forcing local authorities to evacuate residents. In total, 24 tanks have been destroyed, effectively halting the facility’s operations.
