Smoke Seen from Sochi: Massive Fire After Tuapse UAV Strike
Tuapse — a port city and major resort in the Krasnodar region — came under its third attack in two weeks from unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The latest strike took place on the night of Tuesday, April 28.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov released a statement following the attack. He said the Kremlin will not publicly disclose the locations of the strikes, but confirmed that authorities are taking measures to deal with the consequences of the drone raid at the required level.
Peskov also stressed that officials are carrying out intensive work to prevent further strikes by Ukrainian forces on Russian territory.
Smoke Visible from Sochi Resorts
Eyewitnesses reported that a massive column of smoke, likely from the fire in Tuapse, was visible from the Krasnaya Polyana resort in the Adler district of Sochi.
Tourists said they saw the smoke on the morning of April 28. On that day, drone debris fell on a local oil refinery and ignited a fire. Authorities described the situation as a serious emergency. More than 100 personnel and dozens of units of equipment took part in firefighting efforts, and officials evacuated residents from nearby homes.
The Telegram channel Mash published a video showing huge black clouds rising into the sky after the strike on the refinery, covering the sky above Tuapse.
Calls for a Tough Response
Tuapse has endured three major drone attacks in recent weeks. The first strike took place on April 16. That attack killed two children and caused an oil spill in the sea. Reports said drone fragments fell on industrial facilities near the seaport.
The second attack occurred on April 20. A large fire broke out in the port and firefighters extinguished it only after five days. Afterward, black rain fell over the city, leaving birds and animals covered in fuel oil. Authorities recorded benzene, xylene, and soot levels at twice the maximum permissible concentrations in some areas.
These repeated attacks and their environmental consequences have fueled calls in Russia for a tougher response to UAV strikes.
