On the night of 12 August, Novorossiysk in the Krasnodar Krai of the Russian Federation came under a massive drone attack. Fires broke out in various parts of the city, and the large grain terminal operated by PJSC «NKHPC» may have been hit.
Briefly about the main points
- The attack on Novorossiysk continued throughout the night.
- Numerous explosions were heard in the city and fires broke out.
- OSINT analysts have reported a possible strike on the port complex of PJSC «NKHPC».
- The Russian authorities have reported damage to four industrial facilities and 21 residential buildings.
- An eight-year-old child was killed and eight other people were injured as a result of the night-time incidents.
- The Ukrainian side has not officially commented on the attack.
Novorossiysk was under attack for over nine hours
An air raid alert was declared in Novorossiysk on the evening of 11 August. Explosions and the activity of Russian air defence systems continued throughout the night. As of the morning of 12 August, the threat to the city remained.
Local mayor Andriy Kravchenko reported a combined attack involving aerial drones, missiles and maritime drones. Due to the danger, certain streets in the city were closed off and public transport services were temporarily suspended. According to local authorities, the attack lasted more than nine hours.
Monitoring organisations and local residents reported strikes in several areas. Footage released shows extensive smoke, flashes and fires. Satellite monitoring systems also recorded fires in the vicinity of the city and the port infrastructure.
The NKHP grain terminal could have been hit
According to reports from OSINT analysts, one of the targets of the attack may have been the Novorossiysk Bakery Products Plant — PJSC «NKHPC». Following the explosions, a fire and thick smoke were observed in the port area. The full extent of the damage to the plant has not yet been determined.
NKHP is one of Russia’s largest deep-water grain terminals. The complex comprises grain silos, quays and other port facilities used for the storage and loading of grain onto export vessels.
According to the company, the total storage capacity is around 300,000 tonnes, whilst the port’s transhipment capacity stands at 7.1 million tonnes of grain per year. The terminal is capable of handling vessels with a deadweight of up to 72,000 tonnes.
At the time of publication, there is no official confirmation that the NKHP has been compromised, nor is there any information regarding the possible suspension of its operations.
Russian air defences damaged residential buildings
The Russian authorities have, as usual, attributed the damage in the city to debris from downed drones. According to updated information from the governor of the Krasnodar Krai Veniamin Kondratiev, damage was recorded at four businesses and in 21 residential buildings.
An eight-year-old child was killed as a result of Russian air defence operations. A further eight people, including another child, were injured and taken to hospital. These figures were released by the authorities in the Krasnodar Krai.
Novorossiysk is of strategic importance to Russia: the city is home to a major seaport, oil and grain export terminals, and a base for the Russian Federation’s Black Sea Fleet. The massive attack posed a threat to several of the aggressor’s key logistical and military facilities at once.
