The concentration of toxic particles in the atmosphere released by the fire is two to three times higher than allowed levels, according to official measurements taken on Monday.
A refinery hit by Ukraine in a southern Russian city has been on fire for four days, resulting in atmospheric pollution marked by black rain and restrictions for the population, authorities said. “The fire at the Tuapse refinery is still ongoing. Four storage tanks are burning,” said an official from the emergency management center in the Krasnodar region on Thursday.
Due to the intensity of this fire in a city on the Black Sea coast, “combustion products have spread in the atmosphere” and “settled on surfaces on Wednesday with the rain, creating a black deposit,” the center stated on Wednesday evening. Residents were advised to limit outdoor time, keep windows closed, wear glasses instead of contact lenses, refrain from smoking, and wear a mask when necessary to go outside.
The concentration of toxic particles in the atmosphere released by the fire is two to three times higher than allowed levels, according to official measurements taken on Monday. Videos and photos shared on social media, though not verified by AFP, show huge clouds above the city and black residues stuck to urban furniture, the fur of cats and dogs.
Ukrainian Strikes on Russia in Response to Russian Attacks
On Monday, regional authorities reported a “massive attack by Ukrainian drones” on Tuapse, resulting in one death and triggering a fire at the port, without further details. On April 16, regional governor Veniamin Kondratiev reported the death of a 14-year-old girl and a young woman in a nighttime drone attack by Ukrainians in the same city. Since the start of its offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia regularly bombs the entire Ukrainian territory, particularly its essential infrastructure.
In response, Kiev strikes targets in Russia, aiming at military sites and energy infrastructure to reduce Moscow’s ability to finance its war effort. In early April, Russia accused Ukraine of drone strikes on a major oil infrastructure in Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, seeking to “destabilize” the global hydrocarbon market.
