Ukrainian armed forces attacked a Russian warship in Novorossiysk and a Black Sea oil platform overnight, causing a fire at the port.
Ukrainian Attack on Novorossiysk
Ukrainian forces attacked a Russian warship in the port of Novorossiysk, as well as an oil drilling platform in the Black Sea near Russian-occupied Crimea, overnight from Sunday to Monday.
The attack targeted the Admiral Makarov missile frigate, armed with Kalibr cruise missiles and a Stil-1 air defense system. This vessel is the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, following the sinking of the Moskva cruiser by Ukraine in April 2022. The frigate is estimated to be worth $500 million.
Fire at the Port
Images from NASA systems show a fire broke out at the port area.
Casualties and Damage
According to Russian authorities, at least eight people, including two children, were injured in the Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiysk, and several residential buildings were damaged. Russia has not confirmed whether the port of Novorossiysk, Russia’s largest Black Sea export hub, was directly hit.
Oil Terminal Affected
Bloomberg reported that NASA FIRMS imagery shows a fire at the Sheskharis oil terminal, belonging to the Russian state-owned company Transneft. Transneft has not responded to a request for comment.
Key Export Hub
Novorossiysk is Russia’s largest port on the Black Sea, with numerous facilities for exporting raw materials and bulk goods. In early March, Ukrainian drone attacks led to a halt in loading oil there. Ukraine aims to limit Russia’s export capacity and benefit from global price increases driven by the war in the Middle East. In March, Ukrainian drones damaged oil facilities in key Baltic ports in Primorsk and Ust-Luga.
Impact on Russian Oil Exports
Bloomberg calculations indicate that repeated drone attacks on oil ports caused Russian seaborne oil exports to fall to their lowest level in two months in March, coinciding with a global supply crisis in the oil market due to the war in the Middle East.
