A major Russian seaport turned into a vision from hell today (Monday) after devastating strikes from Ukrainian drones. A blazing inferno broke out again at the giant oil complex at Tuapse on the Black Sea just hours after flames were extinguished from an earlier strike.

The Ukrainian drone swarm triggered loud explosions, leaving an apocalyptic scene of volcanic destruction at the port in the latest major reversal of fortunes in the war for Vladimir Putin in the past month. All school and most kindergarten classes were cancelled today in Tuapse as black smoke from the local Rosneft-owned oil refinery choked the resort town.

The key storage tanks at the Putin export hub appeared to have been destroyed. One man was reported killed in the ferocious attack.

Russian machine guns attempted to thwart the incoming drones, but this is the latest in a succession of Ukrainian strikes on key infrastructure showing that Putin’s forces are running low on air defences.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian military intelligence today confirmed weekend strikes by drone on Russian warships in Sevastopol port, headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet.

Footage showed the attacks. One target was the 369ft-long large landing ship Yamal, worth around £64 million. Another was the 371-ft Soviet-era Nikolay Filchenkov, which can carry 20 tanks and 300–425 troops, worth £56 million.

Both vessels were hit and damaged, according to the GUR military intelligence directorate.

“Both ships, which Russia used in the criminal war against Ukraine, have been put out of action,” said a statement.

A £4million Russian Podlet-K1 radar station was also put out of action. Russia hit back with strikes on Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk.