Tuapse, a Russian port city on the Black Sea, has been ravaged by a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on an oil-export hub, causing an environmental disaster of unprecedented proportions.
The first flames appeared on April 16th, killing two people and injuring seven, and the situation worsened over the following days with multiple attacks, including one that damaged the main refinery itself on April 28th.
The strikes have resulted in industrial fires raging in residential areas, oil spills contaminating 50km of coastline, and rain stained with oily droplets and soot contaminating water and soil around the city.
The Russian authorities have been accused of downplaying the environmental damage and limiting the political fallout of the attacks, with officials advising residents to keep windows shut and limit their time outdoors.
The situation has sparked widespread concern, with one resident saying, 'I don't care about vacationers. My heart aches for my hometown.'
