Fires and "oil rain": Key facts about the environmental disaster in Tuapse

A series of attacks on Tuapse's oil infrastructure over the course of a month resulted in fires and environmental damage. Following the strikes, the city was hit by "black rain"—precipitation containing particles of burnt petroleum products. Paradoxically, the "black rain" partially reduced the concentration of harmful substances in the air. Read more about the environmental disaster in the Caucasian Knot report.

How “black rain” reduces the concentration of harmful substances

“Black” or “oil rain” in Tuapse is a wasteland saturated with petroleum combustion products, primarily soot and toxic compounds, ecologists told the "Caucasian Knot." They note that such waste "washes" pollutants out of the air, reducing the concentration of harmful substances in the atmosphere. According to experts, hazardous substances, including carcinogenic compounds, remain in the air. 1

After which an environmental disaster occurred in Tuapse

Since mid-April, Tuapse has been subjected to three massive drone attacks. The first attack occurred on the night of April 16th, hitting a port where oil products are transshipped. A second attack followed on April 20th. A third attack occurred on April 28th, again causing a fire at the Tuapse Oil Refinery, leading to the evacuation of residents and disruptions to the water supply. How Tuapse residents are reacting to the environmental disaster. Tuapse residents claim that the oil spill has affected a significant portion of the coastline and has spread beyond the city limits. According to them, volunteers are doing the bulk of the coastal cleanup, often without adequate equipment and protective gear, while official reports record thousands of cubic meters of removed soil. Social media and local chat rooms are discussing the possibility of contamination extending tens of kilometers along the coastline and has already affected neighboring areas. Some residents believe the response to the aftermath was delayed, which exacerbated the scale of the damage.

What was the reaction of the authorities and Putin?

The official government response to the situation in Tuapse was accompanied by belated decisions and increased federal attention. A state of emergency was declared only on April 28, after further oil spills and the evacuation of residents, although the first signs of the accident appeared as early as April 20. That same day, Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov and Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev visited the city. Kurenkov acknowledged that the response measures were insufficient but emphasized that there were no further leaks. Commenting on the situation, Vladimir Putin warned of environmental consequences and blamed Ukraine for the attack on Tuapse.

How an environmental disaster could affect the 2026 tourist season

Ecologists note that the consequences of coastal pollution in Tuapse could be comparable to or even more severe than the situation in Anapa after the fuel oil spill in December 2024. They estimate that oil products are spreading along the coast by currents and could affect tens of kilometers of resort areas, extending beyond the city limits. It is noted that such pollution does not disappear within one season and can persist and affect the ecosystem for years, especially in conditions of active tourism. 4  

Why Ukraine is attacking Tuapse

Tuapse is one of the key hubs of the Black Sea oil infrastructure, home to refining and transshipment facilities. The city is home to the Tuapse Oil Refinery, which is part of Rosneft. 5 The Tuapse seaport is used to ship petroleum products to international markets, making it an important link in the export chain. The Kremlin acknowledges that Ukrainian armed forces struck Tuapse in the Krasnodar region to stop Russian oil exports. 6

Materials on the consequences of the fuel oil spills in the Kerch Strait and Tuapse have been collected by the "Caucasian Knot" on the page "Eco-disaster in Kuban".