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Al Jazeera English1 min read
Environmental disaster fears grip Russia as Ukraine targets oil refineries
TL;DR
Ukrainian drone strikes on Tuapse's oil refinery have led to environmental disaster fears in Russia, with reports of toxic black rain and grim conditions. Cleanup efforts are underway as the ecological impact becomes evident.
Key points
- Ukrainian drone strikes target Tuapse oil refinery
- Black rain phenomenon reported in Tuapse
- Environmental disaster concerns raised
- Cleanup efforts underway in affected areas
Mentioned in this story
TuapseUkraine
black rain
When cleanup volunteer Sergei Solovev arrived in the town of Tuapse, on Russia’s Black Sea coast, an unpleasant odour hung in the air and everything was coated in a layer of black grime.
“I saw train carriages covered in residue from the black rain and animals. It’s all very toxic,” he told Al Jazeera. “And the smell was oily.”
Black rain is an unnatural weather phenomenon, where water droplets blackened by soot and ash fall from the sky. It was seen in Hiroshima, Japan, after the atomic bomb explosion in 1945, more recently in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and in 1991 in Kuwait, when oilfields were set ablaze during the Gulf War.
And now, it is falling on parts of Russia.
Over the past couple of weeks, Tuapse has been hit by a series of three Ukrainian drone strikes targeting its refinery, one of the largest in Russia. The attacks, aimed at hurting Russia’s oil industry, have caused an ecological disaster in a war that has devastated the environment.
The first strike came on April 16, causing a fire that lasted two days. Four days later, on April 20, the refinery was struck again, leaving a massive plume of thick smoke billowing into the sky. This time, the fire lasted for five days. Smoke from the fire released poisonous chemicals, and a subsequent analysis of the air around the town found that concentrations of benzene, xylene, and soot were three times above safe levels.
No more data was published after that, but residents were advised to stay indoors, keep their windows shut, and leave home wearing a mask.
Meanwhile, a black rain began to fall.
“The rain covered all the cars and animals,” said Elena Lugovenko, a local volunteer. “All the animals are covered in oil. Volunteers have set up animal cleanup centres.”
Volunteers collected distressed animals, including cats, dogs and birds, to wash away the muck before sending them to shelters. Oil spills are particularly dangerous for birds, which find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fly. It is also poisonous, and the feathered creatures might accidentally swallow it as they try to preen themselves loose.
By the end of the April 20 attack, at least eight storage tanks at the refinery lay destroyed, the spilled petroleum leaking into the nearby Tuapse River from where the current carried it into the Black Sea, spreading along the coast.
Authorities dispatched more than a dozen boats to clean up the slick at sea, while booms have been installed on beaches to contain the spill. Emergency crews and volunteers are working to clear the stony beaches using excavators, and the oil is being collected in barrels and plastic bags.
“It’s an environmental disaster,” said Solovev, who drove from Sochi, 116km (70 miles) down the coast, to join the effort.
Q&A
What caused the black rain in Tuapse, Russia?
The black rain in Tuapse is attributed to soot and ash from the Ukrainian drone strikes targeting the local oil refinery.
How have Ukrainian drone strikes affected Russia's oil industry?
The strikes on Tuapse's refinery aim to disrupt Russia's oil production and have resulted in significant ecological damage.
What are the health risks associated with the black rain phenomenon?
Black rain, which contains toxic residues, poses serious health risks to humans and animals exposed to it.
What historical events are similar to the black rain observed in Russia?
Similar black rain phenomena were recorded in Hiroshima after the atomic bomb, in Tehran, and during the Gulf War in Kuwait.
