The Russian port of Novorossiysk, which has become a significant base for the Black Sea Fleet after repeated attacks on its traditional headquarters in Crimea, has been targeted by Ukrainian drones. This attack follows reports by the UK Ministry of Defence indicating that Russia has been strengthening defenses at the port to protect its fleet from potential Ukrainian attacks. On May 17, the Novorossiysk Fuel oil terminal and Transneft terminal were attacked, marking another blow to Russia’s oil industry, as reported by the Kyiv Independent.

The attack on the oil terminals also led to a fire at the Kirillovskaya substation, resulting in over 20,000 residents losing electricity, according to the Russian Telegram news channel Astra. Satellite images from May 18 showed evidence of a fire in the sea trade port area. Fortunately, Astra reported no casualties from these incidents. On May 19, social media footage appeared to show Ukrainian drones being shot down by machine gun fire over the port, though Business Insider could not verify this video.

Residents of Novorossiysk reported hearing over 35 explosions in the city, with the governor describing it as an “unsuccessful attempt to attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces” and claiming that 10 UAVs were downed. In response to the attacks, the deputy mayor restricted residents from leaving their homes, blocked traffic, and suspended public transport. Russia’s Ministry of Defense later announced that 44 UAVs were shot down in the region overnight, suggesting that the attack on Novorossiysk was part of Ukraine’s largest drone assault to date.

In 2023, Russia had relocated most of its Black Sea Fleet vessels from Crimea to Novorossiysk following a series of Ukrainian strikes, including a major missile attack on the fleet’s headquarters in Sevastopol. The Novorossiysk port, located on Russia’s Black Sea coast in Krasnodar Krai, is a crucial hub for oil exports and naval operations. The recent attacks on Russia’s oil industry also included a confirmed drone strike by Ukrainian forces on an oil base in Rostov Oblast on May 15.

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As Ukraine continues to exert pressure on Russia in Crimea and the Black Sea region, its troops have faced challenges in repelling Russian advances along the eastern front, particularly near Kharkiv. Despite the advances made by Russian forces, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine was not experiencing a shortage of artillery shells for the first time since the full-scale invasion by Russia began.