Massive Ukrainian Attack Cripples Key Russian Refinery in Tuapse. Here’s What Satellite Images Reveal

Ukrainian long-range drones have destroyed or severely damaged more than half of the fuel storage capacity at Russia’s Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea, based on recent satellite imagery.

According to OSINT monitoring group Exilenova+, which published high-resolution satellite images on April 26, a significant portion of the refinery’s tank farm appears to have been destroyed following a series of drone strikes.

Separate analysis by the Telegram-based monitoring channel “Oko Hora” indicates that out of 47 storage tanks with a combined capacity of approximately 159,140 cubic meters, at least 28 units were either destroyed or heavily damaged.

According to the same analysis, 24 tanks—around 52% of the total—were completely destroyed, while an additional four units, or roughly 9%, sustained damage. Eighteen tanks, representing about 39% of the facility’s storage capacity, remained intact.

The damage is linked to multiple Ukrainian drone strikes carried out throughout April, with the most significant impacts reported on April 16 and April 20.

According to Exilenova+ and open-source footage, fires broke out following direct hits, including a major blaze that engulfed around 10 storage tanks in the port section of the refinery during the April 20 overnight attack.

Earlier, on April 16, drones struck the ELOU-AVT-12 primary oil processing unit as well as fuel storage infrastructure, with firefighting operations reportedly lasting more than 42 hours.

Despite the scale of the damage to storage facilities, available satellite imagery suggests that core refining units at the plant may not have sustained visible direct hits. However, OSINT assessments cited by Exilenova+ indicate that associated infrastructure—including pumping stations, rail loading racks, and pipeline systems—was also affected.

The Tuapse refinery, operated by Russia’s state oil company Rosneft, is considered one of the country’s more technologically advanced facilities, with an annual processing capacity of up to 12 million tons and a refining depth of around 98%.

Analysts note that damage to storage infrastructure can significantly disrupt refinery operations even without direct strikes on processing units. Tank farms serve as a critical buffer for receiving, storing, and dispatching crude oil and refined products, and their destruction can lead to secondary effects such as large-scale fires and damage to interconnected systems.

Earlier, Ukrainian long-range drones struck the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in Yaroslavl overnight on April 25–26, sparking a large fire. According to Exilenova+ and Russian Telegram channels, multiple explosions were reported as drones hit infrastructure within the facility.

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