Spill Discovered in Black Sea After Ukrainian Strike on Tuapse Oil Terminal – BBC - The Moscow Times

Oil Spill Reported in Black Sea After Ukrainian Drone Strike

A Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Tuapse oil terminal caused an oil spill spreading several kilometers into the Black Sea, according to a BBC analysis of NASA satellite images from November.

Extent and Location of the Spill

The oil slick extended about 3.6 kilometers from the terminal into the Black Sea.

The Tuapse terminal is situated around eight kilometers from the Black Sea port of Tuapse and manages exports of petroleum products from a local refinery and Rosneft’s Samara refineries.

Exports through this facility reached 7.1 million tons between January and September, Reuters reported.

Damage and Regional Impact

Authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region confirmed that the strike damaged parts of the terminal's infrastructure and two foreign-flagged vessels.

This incident is part of a series of recent oil spills in the Black Sea.

Previous Spill in December 2024

In December 2024, two tankers sank in the Kerch Strait, releasing at least 4,000 tons of fuel oil and causing what Russian officials called an environmental disaster.

"The spill caused mass die-offs of birds and marine life and polluted coastlines in annexed Crimea, southern Russia’s Krasnodar region, Ukraine’s Odesa region and the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia."

Cleanup efforts from that spill continue. Environment Minister Alexander Kozlov stated the work should finish by May 2026, though environmental experts remain skeptical of this timeline.

Summary

The recent drone strike on the Tuapse oil terminal has led to a significant oil spill, adding to ongoing environmental challenges in the Black Sea region.

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The Moscow Times The Moscow Times — 2025-11-05

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