Putin Missing for Week After Ukrainian Drone Strike on Tuapse Oil Terminal

(MOSCOW, RUSSIA) – Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has not appeared in public for one week following a Ukrainian drone strike that caused a large fire at a major oil terminal in Russia’s Krasnodar region.

The blaze at the Tuapse oil terminal has burned for seven days, sending toxic smog hundreds of kilometres along Russia’s Black Sea coast. The incident has received widespread coverage on Russian state television and in local newspapers.

Mr Putin has avoided scheduled meetings and has not been seen on state TV. Analysts and commentators suggest this pattern of disappearance has become his standard response to domestic crises.

Local residents and political figures have been unable to ask questions about why the war is now occurring on Russian territory. In 2022, at the start of what the Kremlin called a special military operation, the Russian dictator promised a rapid victory.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken a different approach, remaining visible during difficult periods.

In a separate development, Ukrainian forces neutralised a group of Russian FSB officers in the temporarily occupied Donetsk region. Ukrainian sources said the operation would reduce hostile activity on Ukrainian territory.

The continued strikes on Russian infrastructure have led some former Putin supporters to view his absence as a sign of weakness. Russian state media have shown images of the fire and smog, prompting public discussion about the conflict spreading to Russian soil.

Experts note that Russian society expects strong leadership. The current behaviour has been described by some commentators as evasive. The Kremlin has not issued an official statement on Mr Putin’s whereabouts.

The Ukrainian military has intensified drone operations against Russian energy facilities. These strikes are part of a broader strategy to reduce Russia’s oil export capacity and military logistics.

The Tuapse fire is one of the most significant incidents on Russian territory since the full scale invasion began. The environmental impact includes air pollution extending along the Black Sea coast.