A new drone attack has triggered a “massive” fire at an oil refinery in Tuapse, Russia, marking the third strike on the facility in less than two weeks as hostilities continue to impact Russia’s energy infrastructure.

The refinery, located on the Black Sea coast in Russia, is considered a key industrial site supporting the country’s oil exports and federal budget revenues, The Caspian Post reports via foreign media.

The latest strike caused a large blaze at the facility, prompting emergency response teams to be deployed to the scene. Firefighters were working to contain the fire, with additional reinforcements sent to assist in controlling the situation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in televised remarks that drone attacks on civilian infrastructure are becoming more frequent, referring specifically to the strike on energy facilities in Tuapse. He warned of potential environmental risks linked to the incident.

Russian Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov was dispatched to the site, where officials described the situation as “complicated but manageable”.

Governor of Krasnodar region Veniamin Kondratyev said around 300 emergency personnel were expected to be involved in ongoing firefighting and recovery efforts.