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Novorossiysk strike hits terminals
Ukraine carried out a “unique” nighttime operation targeting Russia’s Black Sea naval base in Novorossiysk, with Zelensky saying the attack hit air defence positions, piers and other port infrastructure more than 300 kilometers from the front line.
“Three people, including an eight-year-old child, were killed and another 24 injured”
The BBC reported that three people, including an eight-year-old child, were killed and another 24 injured in the overnight attack, while Reuters said the drone attack put two major grain terminals out of action and raised fears in global markets of a disruption to supplies.
Reuters reported that Russian industry sources said two major grain terminals were out of action, while the Russian agriculture ministry said it was working to redirect cargo flows to ports in the Baltic and Caspian Seas as well as land routes.
The Kyiv Independent said the General Staff reported that four Russian warships were damaged in the strike, including two frigates—Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen—and a small missile ship, Buyan-M, and a patrol ship, Vasil Bykov.
In the Krasnodar region, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said the attack killed at least two people including an 8-year-old child, and the BBC said the building of the attack was in the port city of Novorossiysk where most of Russia’s Black Sea fleet is docked after it was forced to vacate Sevastopol in Crimea.
Competing claims and quotes
Zelensky told the BBC that “The occupying fleet and all the infrastructure that supports it will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues,” framing the strike as a response to continued attacks.
The Kyiv Independent quoted the General Staff saying, “four warships of the Russian aggressor suffered varying degrees of damage,” and named Admiral Makarov, Admiral Essen, Buyan-M and Vasil Bykov.
Reuters reported that Veniamin Kondratyev said a “massive” wave of Ukrainian attacks targeted the area and killed at least two people, while the Kyiv Independent said residents reported repeated explosions as Russian air defenses attempted to repel an ongoing drone attack.
The Kyiv Independent also reported that Zelensky said Ukraine used Palianytsia jet-powered drones, Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles, and naval drones, while the BBC said Zelensky said Kyiv launched rockets, jet and naval drones in the “unique operation.”
In parallel, the BBC reported that Russia’s military had not commented publicly on the issue, while Reuters reported Russia’s defence ministry said it downed more than 500 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Food, oil, and next moves
The Reuters report tied the Novorossiysk attack to wider market stakes, saying Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter and that Chicago wheat futures rose around 3% after reports of the attack.
“Chicago wheat futures rose around 3% on Wednesday”
Reuters also said Russia’s main grain lobby group warned last month that Ukrainian attacks could shut down grain exports via the Black Sea in the near future, pushing up prices and causing hunger in Africa and the Middle East.
On the oil side, Reuters said Novorossiysk hosts oil export infrastructure including for the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), and it reported that the Financial Times said Ukraine agreed not to target CPC infrastructure and non-Russian vessels after a request from US Vice President JD Vance in late July.
The Kyiv Post reported that Vance asked Zelensky to avoid attacking “a key Kazakh oil export route through Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk,” and said Ukraine agreed not to target infrastructure belonging to the CPC or non-Russian vessels unless under Ukrainian sanctions or carrying Russian oil or other Russian cargo.
The BBC added that the Russian agriculture ministry announced on Wednesday that it was redirecting cargo flows to the Baltic and Caspian Seas as well as land routes, while Reuters said there was no indication that the CPC or tankers collecting oil from the pipeline had been struck during the overnight attacks.
