Fire at a Russian refinery. Ukrainian drone attacks proceed

The port is located on the Black Sea, in southwestern Russia. The attack took place on Monday, April 20. By Wednesday, April 22, firefighters were still battling the blaze at the oil storage facilities. The General Command of the Southern Krasnodar Region in Russia reported that 276 firefighters and 77 vehicles were involved in the firefighting operation. Due to the prolonged fire, concentrations of benzene, xylene, and soot in the air increased. The levels are currently two to three times higher than the permissible limits. The situation is expected to normalise once the fire is extinguished; until then, residents have been urged to stay indoors and keep their windows closed.

This was not the first Ukrainian strike on this particular port. A previous attack occurred in November of last year. According toThe Insider, citing satellite imagery, the port plays a key role in the operation of Russia’s “shadow fleet” transporting sanctioned Russian oil. Ships are regularly detained and, upon inspection, found to be operating as part of this fleet. Its size is estimated at over 1,000 vessels. Because of the vast number of potential ships involved, Western efforts to counter the fleet are significantly hindered. Direct attacks on Russian ports strike just as hard—if not harder—at the transport of sanctioned oil and should be continued by Ukrainian forces.