Third Ukrainian strike hits Russian oil refinery and prompts evacuations

A major Russian oil refinery on the Black Sea has been hit for the third time this month by Ukrainian drones, causing a "massive fire" and forcing the evacuation of people living nearby, local officials have said.

Earlier strikes in the past two weeks at the Tuapse refinery caused a big oil spill in the sea and residents reported "black" rain falling on the city and leaving an oily residue everywhere.

Ukraine's military confirmed the latest drone strike, saying such refineries helped fund Russia's full-scale invasion launched in 2022.

More than 160 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze, Krasnodar regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Tuesday. No casualties were reported.

In a post on Telegram on Tuesday morning, Kondratiev said firefighters and other rescuers were working in "extremely difficult conditions", and he described their efforts as "true heroism".

"Our top priority is preserving the lives and health of city residents and visitors," he added.

The head of the local municipal district, Sergei Boyko, asked residents of nearby streets to leave and reports said a temporary evacuation centre had been set up in a local school.

Meanwhile, the regional crisis centre warned that "due to the severe fire, combustion products are being released into the atmosphere".

Residents were urged to wear masks and rinse their nose, eyes and throat, as well as keep windows closed and limit time outdoors.

Anastasia Troyanova, a local correspondent for environmental news outlet Kedr, described "a huge cloud of black smoke over the town; it smells of burning".

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country's emergencies minister to fly to Tuapse urgently to oversee firefighting and cleanup efforts.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Ukraine had struck oil storage facilities intended for export operations, accusing Kyiv of destabilising global energy markets.

In a statement, Ukraine's military confirmed it had again hit the Tuapse refinery, as part of concerted efforts to "reduce the military-economic potential of the Russian aggressor".

In recent months, Ukraine's military has intensified its strikes on key energy facilities across Russia.

Kyiv says they are legitimate targets, as they allow Russia to continue its war effort.

In a separate development, one person was injured in a Russian drone attack on Kyiv, the capital's Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.

Ukrainian officials also reported several fires, including one at a cemetery.