MOSCOW, April 17 (Reuters) – Firefighters continued extinguishing a blaze at Russia’s Black Sea port of Tuapse on Friday, more than 24 hours after Ukrainian drone attacks, local authorities said.
They said 177 servicemen have been engaged in efforts to put out the fire. The attack on Thursday killed two people, including a 14-year-old girl, injured seven, and hit an oil tanker.
Ukraine’s military has said it had struck two oil depots in Russian-controlled Crimea and infrastructure in Tuapse.
Ukraine has stepped up the attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including ports in the Black and Baltic Seas, as the U.S.-brokered peace talks have been paused with Washington’s focus on the war in Iran.
Russian state RIA Novosti news agency has said Russia downed 11,211 Ukrainian drones in March, almost double the number in February.
(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
