© Exilenova plusFire at the Tuapse oil refinery, Krasnodar region, Russia • April 16, 2026
Air thick with toxic fumes. A column of smoke visible from space. Black rain falling from the sky. The scene in Tuapse, a resort town of about 60,000 people on Russia's Black Sea coast, has turned apocalyptic in recent days after Ukrainian strikes on a local oil refinery sparked major fires and spilled oil into the surrounding environment.
Located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of Sochi, Tuapse is home to a Rosneft-owned refinery that processes around 12 million metric tons of crude annually and serves as a key export route for naphtha, fuel oil and diesel. The refinery
was last struck on Monday, setting off a major fire and spilling petroleum products into the Black Sea and the Tuapse River.
Since then, residents say they have seen
widespread "black rain," smelled burning and observed mass bird deaths. Many say
oily black droplets have appeared on their clothes and skin after spending time outdoors. On Thursday, three days after the fire began, officials urged people to keep their windows closed and limit time outside as polluted smoke continued to spread.
Comment: US is coming up short on means, trust and privilege. Nothing to bank on. No safe haven. Truth is free. Lies cost.