Ukrainian Strike Rocks Novorossiysk, Damages Russian Military Ship and Oil Terminal

Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Security Service have carried out a major strike on Russia’s Novorossiysk port, hitting an oil terminal and damaging a Project 1171 landing ship.

The long-range drones targeted multiple high-value military and logistical sites at one of Russia’s most important Black Sea hubs, The Caspian Post reports, citing Ukrainian media.

The strike hit:

Oil terminal infrastructure, including loading stands and manifolds

Air defense positions, reportedly involving S-300/S-400 systems

A large landing ship docked at the naval base, which was allegedly damaged

The coordinated operation involved several Ukrainian units - the Security Service of Ukraine’s Alpha Special Operations Center, Defense Intelligence, Special Operations Forces, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the State Border Service, and the Ukrainian Navy’s coastal missile and artillery units.

Witnesses in Novorossiysk reported intense air defense activity during the attack. Videos circulating online captured Pantsir missiles misfiring and striking residential buildings.

Novorossiysk, Russia’s second-largest oil export port and a key Black Sea Fleet base, has become a frequent target as Ukraine steps up efforts to cut Moscow’s oil revenues and weaken its air defenses.

This latest strike follows a similar Ukrainian operation on November 14 targeting the Novorossiysk naval base and the Sheskharis oil terminal - a facility that handles 3.5-4.5 million tons of crude monthly, representing up to 20 per cent of Russia’s seaborne oil exports. That earlier attack temporarily halted operations, pushed global oil prices up by 3 per cent, and briefly removed 2 per cent of global oil supply from the market.