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Satellite Images Reveal Pipeline Rupture and Tanker Fire at Russian Tuapse Oil Terminal

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Photo of Ivan Khomenko
Ivan Khomenko
News Writer
A fire burns at the Tuapse oil terminal following a nighttime drone strike. (Photo: Open source)
A fire burns at the Tuapse oil terminal following a nighttime drone strike. (Photo: Open source)

Satellite imagery from Airbus has confirmed at least two direct hits on a key oil pipeline at the Transneft-operated terminal in the Russian port city of Tuapse, following a nighttime drone attack on November 1, according to the Telegram channel Exilenova+.

The images show visible damage to the oil-loading infrastructure of the Tuapse terminal, including a section of the pipeline and a moored tanker.

The attack reportedly triggered oil spillage into the Black Sea, with video footage shared by Exilenova+ showing contamination in the harbor area.

Satellite imagery from Airbus dated November 2 shows visible damage to Rosneft’s deepwater terminal in Tuapse. (Source: Exilenova+)
Satellite imagery from Airbus dated November 2 shows visible damage to Rosneft’s deepwater terminal in Tuapse. (Source: Exilenova+)

Local authorities in Krasnodar region said fragments of unmanned aerial vehicles fell on an oil tanker docked at the port, causing a fire on the vessel’s deck structure.

“The crew was evacuated, and the ship sustained visible damage. Several terminal buildings and port infrastructure were also affected,” the regional operational headquarters said.

According to the Institute for Strategic Black Sea Studies, led by Andrii Klymenko, three tankers were present at the terminal during the attack — two Greek-flagged vessels (POLLUX and COAST BUSTER) and one Turkish ship (CHAI), with the latter believed to have caught fire.

The Tuapse oil terminal, managed by Chernomortransneft, a subsidiary of Transneft PJSC, serves as one of Russia’s primary export points on the Black Sea.

Commissioned in 2013, the facility can handle up to seven million tons of crude oil annually and accommodate vessels up to 250 meters long.

It plays a central role in supplying Russian oil to Mediterranean and Asian markets, making it strategically important for Moscow’s energy export logistics.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the strike also hit infrastructure belonging to the Rosneft Tuapse Refinery—one of the largest processing facilities in southern Russia.

Earlier, Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s fourth-largest oil refinery in Ryazan, forcing the shutdown of its main crude distillation unit after a fire broke out. The CDU-4 unit, along with several related processing facilities, was temporarily halted, disrupting fuel production.

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