Russia Says Ukraine Hit Tuapse Refinery Reservoir, Setting it Ablaze

A firefighter is seen on a site, as smoke billows from a fire at oil refinery, owned by Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft, in Moscow, Russia, November 17, 2018. (Reuters)
A firefighter is seen on a site, as smoke billows from a fire at oil refinery, owned by Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft, in Moscow, Russia, November 17, 2018. (Reuters)
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Russia Says Ukraine Hit Tuapse Refinery Reservoir, Setting it Ablaze

A firefighter is seen on a site, as smoke billows from a fire at oil refinery, owned by Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft, in Moscow, Russia, November 17, 2018. (Reuters)
A firefighter is seen on a site, as smoke billows from a fire at oil refinery, owned by Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft, in Moscow, Russia, November 17, 2018. (Reuters)

A Ukrainian attack set ablaze a gasoline tank at Russia's Tuapse oil complex on the shores of the Black Sea, Veniamin Kondratiev, the governor of the Krasnodar region, said on Friday, while no one was hurt.
As many as 121 firefighters were battling to put out the flames, Kondratiev added, without saying if the refinery was hit by a drone or missile, reported Reuters.
In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up reciprocal drone attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure.
The export-oriented Tuapse plant, which has processing capacity of 240,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil, produces naphtha, fuel oil, vacuum gasoil and high-sulphur diesel, mainly supplying China, Malaysia, Singapore and Türkiye.



White House Withdraws Nomination for US Hostage Envoy

FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
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White House Withdraws Nomination for US Hostage Envoy

FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo

The Trump administration has withdrawn the nomination of Adam Boehler to serve as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, the White House said on Saturday.
Boehler, who has been working to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, will continue hostage-related work as a so-called "special government employee," a position that would not need Senate confirmation.
"Adam Boehler will continue to serve President Trump as a special government employee focused on hostage negotiations," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
"Adam played a critical role in negotiating the return of Marc Fogel from Russia. He will continue this important work to bring wrongfully detained individuals around the world home."
A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Boehler withdrew his nomination to avoid divesting from his investment company. The move was unrelated to the controversy sparked by his discussions with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"He still has the utmost confidence of President Trump," said the official.
"This gives me the best ability to help Americans held abroad as well as work across agencies to achieve President Trump’s objectives," Boehler told Reuters in a brief statement.
Boehler recently held direct meetings with Hamas on the release of hostages in Gaza. The discussions broke with a decades-old policy by Washington against negotiating with groups that the US brands as terrorist organizations.
The talks angered some Senate Republicans and some Israeli leaders. According to Axios, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer expressed his displeasure to Boehler in a tense phone call last week.