Early Friday, Ukrainian drones struck the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, damaging a docked ship, apartment buildings, and an oil depot, Russian officials said. Three crew members aboard the vessel were injured and hospitalized, while local emergency teams quickly extinguished fires and assisted residents.
The attack targeted Russia's key oil export hub, the Sheskharis terminal, which handles crude oil and oil product shipments. Global oil prices jumped around 2% amid supply concerns. Drone fragments also damaged at least four apartment buildings, breaking windows but causing no civilian injuries.
Impact on oil infrastructure
Krasnodar region governor Veniamin Kondratyev said that over 170 personnel and 50 pieces of equipment responded to the incident overnight, addressing fires and structural damage. Russia's oil infrastructure has faced repeated disruptions this year from drones and unmanned boat attacks, hitting ports, pipelines, and refineries.
According to industry sources, Novorossiysk exported 3.22 million tonnes of crude oil in October and 24.716 million tonnes in the first ten months of 2025. Officials confirmed the fire at the Sheskharis oil depot has been extinguished, and coastal structures sustained some damage. Ukrainian authorities have not immediately commented on the attack.