The Security Service of Ukraine, in conjunction with the Defence Forces struck a number of military and infrastructure targets in the Russian Federation in the Novorossiysk area of the Krasnodar Krai on the night of 9 September. The operation involved the SBU’s «Alfa» Special Operations Centre, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Ukrainian Navy, the Main Intelligence Directorate and the State Border Guard Service. According to the Ukrainian side, the following were targeted: the «Novorossiysk» naval base, ships of the Russian Federation’s Black Sea Fleet, fuel oil storage facilities and the infrastructure of the «Sheshkharis» oil terminal».
- The defence forces attacked the naval base in Novorossiysk.
- Ships carrying «Kalibr» cruise missiles have been hit.
- The fuel oil terminal and «Sesharis» were hit.
- Fires broke out at the military base and the terminal.
- Brovdi reported that the Russian Federation had lost several military vessels.
Damaged ships of the Black Sea Fleet
Pros. data SBU: explosions reported in areas where Russian naval vessels are stationed.
The Ukrainian side claims to have struck a number of vessels belonging to the Russian Federation’s Black Sea Fleet, which are capable of launching «Kalibr» cruise missiles.
The exact number and types of vessels were not specified in the initial report. Brovdi also did not name any specific vessels, but noted that amongst the vessels hit were launch vehicles.
Novorossiysk has become one of the key bases for the Russian Federation’s Black Sea Fleet following a series of Ukrainian strikes on military targets in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Fires at the fuel oil terminal and at «Shesharisi»
Russian energy infrastructure was a specific target of the strike.
The SBU reports the following casualties:
- fuel oil storage facilities;
- infrastructure of the «Shesharis»;
- adjacent port facilities.
A fire broke out at the fuel oil terminal following the attack.
The Russian authorities have also confirmed the fires in Novorossiysk, although they had previously claimed that debris from drones had fallen on industrial sites. OSINT analysts have used video footage from the scene to geolocate the fire specifically in the area of the Novorossiysk fuel oil terminal.
The «Sheshkharis» terminal is of great importance for the export of Russian oil via the Black Sea. Following a previous attack in August, its operations were temporarily suspended; around 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Novorossiysk was already attacked in August
This is not the first large-scale attacks on military and oil infrastructure Novorossiysk over the past month.
On 12 August, the SBU and other components of the Defence Forces were already conducting a large-scale operation in the port. At that time, the Ukrainian side reported that the frigates had been hit «The »Admiral Essen« and the »Admiral Makarov’, the patrol vessel «Vasily Bykov», the 30N6E radar of the S-300 system and a number of jetties.
Following that attack, the Russian port temporarily suspended oil loading operations.
Other Russian military installations were also targeted
The night-time operation on 9 September was not confined to Novorossiysk.
Brovdi stated that Ukrainian forces had also struck targets in the Anapa area a Su-33 carrier-based fighter and a Mi-8 helicopter.
Furthermore, according to him, radar systems near Gelendzhik were hit, including the radar station «Kasta-2E2» and 92N6, which forms part of the S-300/S-400 systems.
The Russian authorities have reported casualties
The authorities in the Krasnodar Krai have stated that the attack on Novorossiysk resulted in the deaths of four people, including a child, whilst a further 29 were reportedly injured. The Ukrainian side has not commented on these figures separately. Reuters notes that Novorossiysk is a key Russian hub for the export of oil, petroleum products and grain.
The SBU emphasised that its operations are targeted at facilities that support Russia’s military capabilities and its war against Ukraine.
