Ukrainian Forces Launch Night Raid on Russian Naval Base in Black Sea

Ukrainian anti-ship missiles, jet-powered aerial drones, and sea drones conducted a major assault on a Russian naval base on the Black Sea coast. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described this nighttime operation as ‘unique’ on Wednesday.

Advanced drones created by Kyiv since the Russian invasion over four years ago have consistently targeted Russian naval assets, including warships and oil tankers. Both nations are situated along the Black Sea coastline.

Officials from Kyiv claim Ukraine’s uncrewed fleet has effectively restricted the movements of Russia’s previously dominant Black Sea navy. This is seen as one of Ukraine’s significant achievements in the ongoing war.

Despite this, Ukrainian authorities believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to continue the conflict. His larger military force faces slow and costly progress on the battlefield amidst U.S. diplomatic efforts for resolution. Zelenskyy mentioned on social media that Putin plans ‘an additional rapid mobilization of several hundred thousand Russians by the year’s end,’ citing Ukrainian intelligence.

Ukraine Targets Black Sea Port Infrastructure

Zelenskyy announced that the Ukrainian military executed a ‘unique operation’ against the naval base at Novorossiysk, a key bastion for the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. The attack damaged air defenses, piers, and other infrastructural elements in the Krasnodar region city.

Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported that hundreds of Ukrainian drones attacked Novorossiysk, Anapa, Gelendzhik, and the Temryuk district overnight. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed over 500 Ukrainian drones were intercepted by air defenses.

In Novorossiysk, an eight-year-old child died, and another victim succumbed to injuries in a hospital after a property in Temryuk was hit. Twelve additional people suffered injuries across the region.

According to Kondratyev, debris from downed drones impacted four industrial plants and 21 residential sites. However, details on the damage remained scant.

Novorossiysk hosts a major international oil terminal. The Grushovaya oil transshipment complex is one of the largest in southern Russia for handling oil and petroleum products. Last February, the U.S. State Department criticized Ukraine’s attacks on Novorossiysk, citing impacts on U.S. oil interests in Kazakhstan.

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium runs a pipeline from the Caspian coast in Kazakhstan to Novorossiysk, crucial for crude exports from significant Kazakh fields involving U.S. companies Chevron and ExxonMobil.

Crimea and Other Russian Infrastructure Targeted

In illegally annexed Crimea, Sevastopol’s Russia-appointed leader, Mikhail Razvozhayev, stated that air defenses intercepted 115 Ukrainian drones overnight. The attack damaged 10 apartment buildings and 25 private houses.

Russian Strikes Impact Ukraine

The Ukrainian air force reported on Wednesday that Russia fired 138 long-range drones and several missiles overnight. Damage occurred in 16 areas across Ukraine.

In Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, a large Russian drone attack overnight resulted in two deaths and two injuries, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin reported. Additionally, a shopping mall in Zaporizhzhia was destroyed in the strikes.