Ukraine attacks Russian naval base near Novorossiysk

Aug 4 (Reuters) – Ukrainian sea drones attacked a Russian naval base near the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, a major hub for Russian exports, on Friday morning and were destroyed by Russian warships, the Ministry of Defense said. Defense of Russia.

The attack caused the port of Novorossiysk to temporarily halt all movement of ships, according to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which operates an oil terminal there.

Russian social media users reported hearing explosions and gunfire near Novorossiysk on Friday morning. If confirmed, it would be the first Ukrainian attack on one of Russia’s main trading ports.

The Caspian Pipeline Concern, which loads oil onto tankers in Novorossiysk, said the port has temporarily banned all movement of ships. It said its facilities were not damaged and that oil loadings continued on the tankers that were already moored.

Videos posted on a local online community and distributed by Russian online news outlet Astra showed the movement of ships off the coast with the sound of gunshots coming from the sea.

Novorossiysk emergency services have confirmed reports of explosions and security services have been informed, Russia’s RIA news agency reported. The port is one of the largest on the Black Sea.

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium is the main exporter of Kazakh crude.

Clashes in the Black Sea and adjacent ports have intensified since Russia last month refused to extend an agreement allowing safe grain exports from Ukrainian ports; Russian drones and missiles have attacked several Ukrainian port facilities and grain silos on or near the Black Sea.

Russia has also reported an attack by Ukrainian maritime drones against its warships that were escorting a civilian vessel.

Russian air defenses shot down 10 Ukrainian drones over Crimea on Friday morning and suppressed three more with electronic countermeasures, TASS said, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

Information from Reuters; Edited by Tom Hogue, Kim Coghill, and Michael Perry

Our standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.