- Ukrainian drones hit the port of Novorossiysk, causing a fire and power outages, according to reports.
- The attack follows the strengthening of the port’s defenses after previous Ukrainian strikes in Crimea.
- Novorossiysk is vital to Russian oil exports and naval operations in the Black Sea.
The Russian port of Novorossiysk, which has become an important base of the Black Sea Fleet after repeated attacks on its traditional base in Crimea, was targeted by Ukrainian drones.
The attack follows earlier reports from the British Ministry of Defense that Russia had strengthened defenses at the port of Novorossiysk to protect its Black Sea Fleet against possible Ukrainian attacks.
The Novorossiysk fuel oil terminal and Transneft terminal were attacked on May 17, in another blow to Russia’s wartime oil industry, the Kyiv Independent reported.
The Kirillovskaya substation caught fire and more than 20,000 city residents were left without electricity, Russian news channel Telegram Astra reported.
Satellite images taken on May 18 show traces of a fire on the territory of the maritime trade port.
Astra said there were no casualties.
Footage appeared on social media on May 19 showing two Ukrainian drones being shot down by machine gun fire as they flew over the port. Business Insider was unable to verify the video.
Residents of Novorossiysk told Astra that they heard more than 35 explosions in the city. The governor officially announced an “unsuccessful attempt to attack the Ukrainian armed forces” and the destruction of 10 drones.
The deputy mayor prohibited residents from leaving their homes early in the morning. Traffic was also blocked in the city and public transport was suspended.
The Russian Defense Ministry later said 44 drones were shot down over the region overnight.
It appears that the Novorossiysk attack was part of the largest drone attack ever carried out in Ukraine.
In 2023, Russia transferred most of its Black Sea Fleet ships from occupied Crimea to Novorossiysk after a series of Ukrainian strikes, including a major missile attack on the fleet headquarters in Sevastopol on September 22.
The port of Novorossiysk on Russia’s Black Sea coast in Krasnodar Krai is a strategic hub for oil exports and naval operations.
The recent wave of attacks targeting the Russian oil industry includes a confirmed drone strike by Ukrainian forces on an oil base in Rostov Oblast on May 15.
As Ukraine maintains pressure on Russia in Crimea and the Black Sea region, its troops are struggling to repel Russian advances along the eastern front, particularly near Kharkiv.
Despite the progress made by Russian forces, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was not experiencing a shortage of artillery shells for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
News Source : www.businessinsider.com
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