Images and videos showed heavy smoke billowing from fires after Ukraine hit a major oil terminal in the seaport of Novorossiysk during its large-scale drone attack on Russia overnight into Friday. Russia said the situation is under control.
Ukraine is repeatedly targeting Russia’s oil infrastructure, the lucrative engine of the Kremlin’s war economy, to ramp up financial pressure on Moscow to make peace by imposing a substantial cost to its invasion, which began in February 2022.
Veniamin Kondratyev, governor of the Krasnodar region that includes Novorossiysk, said the Black Sea port city “suffered the most” of all the areas affected by the Ukrainian strikes overnight.
Kondratyev said the oil depot, container terminal, coastal facilities and a civilian ship in the port were hit. Apartment buildings were also damaged, leading to several injuries, he said.
The strike on Novorossiysk halted oil exports from the port, and Russia’s oil pipeline monopoly Transneft suspended crude supplies there, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed industry sources.
A source in Ukraine’s Security Service confirmed the Novorossiysk attack to The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Novorossiysk is the second-biggest port in Russia for oil exports, the source said, adding that the attack damaged oil-loading stands at the piers, pipeline infrastructure and the units, sparking a large fire.
“Each affected refinery or oil terminal is minus millions of dollars for the Kremlin’s war machine,” an unnamed Security Service of Ukraine [SSU] source told state news agency Ukrinform. “We will continue to deprive the aggressor of resources until he [Russian President Vladimir Putin] loses the ability to wage this war.”
The SSU source said oil loading tenders at berths, pipeline infrastructure, and pumping units were damaged, per Ukrinform, and an intense fire continued to burn at the site.
Russian state news agency TASS reported that the fire at the Sheskharis oil depot had been extinguished and that the DeloPorts container terminals were operating normally after the attacks.
Russia Launches Massive Strike on Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at least four people were killed in overnight strikes by Russia, with Kyiv the primary target, and dozens were wounded, including children and a pregnant woman.
Zelensky called the overnight strikes a “wicked attack” made up of about 430 drones and 18 missiles.
“As of now, we know of dozens of wounded, including children and a pregnant woman,” he said. “Sadly, four people have been killed.”
“This was a deliberately calculated attack aimed at causing maximum harm to people and civilian infrastructure,” Zelensky said on X. “In Kyiv alone, dozens of apartment buildings have been damaged. The Azerbaijani Embassy was hit by debris from an Iskander missile.”
As well as the main target of Kyiv, Zelensky said the Kharkiv and Odesa regions were also hit. Rescue operations at the various sites were underway, he said.
“Ukraine is responding to these strikes with long-range strength, and the world must stop these attacks on life with sanctions,” Zelensky said, adding that Russia is still able to sell oil and that must be stopped.
He said allies were helping to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, “but it is not enough.”
“We need reinforcement with additional systems and interceptor missiles,” he said. “Europe and the United States can help. We are counting on real decisions.”
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.