Photo Credit: Getty Images
Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, one of the country's most critical export hubs, was forced to suspend oil shipments on Friday after what local authorities described as a major Ukrainian drone attack, an incident that temporarily froze the movement of 2.2 million barrels per day, roughly 2% of the world's oil supply, according to industry sources.
The strike marks one of Ukraine's most disruptive hits on Russian energy infrastructure in recent months and comes amid Kyiv's renewed campaign to choke Moscow's wartime revenue. Oil prices jumped more than 2% almost immediately, reflecting global concern over tightening supply at a moment when markets were already strained.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv also launched long-range "Long Neptune" cruise missiles overnight, calling the strikes increasingly successful, though he did not specify the targets. Throughout 2025, Ukraine has leaned heavily on long-range sea and air drones to hit Russian refineries, pipeline networks, and export terminals across the Black Sea and Baltic regions.
The latest attack triggered cascading disruptions. Russian pipeline giant Transneft suspended crude flows to Novorossiysk, while the Caspian Pipeline Consortium temporarily halted loadings at the nearby Yuzhnaya Ozereevka terminal before resuming operations once air-raid alerts lifted. The CPC plans to export 1.45 million barrels per day this month from the site, located roughly 15 kilometers southwest of the port.
Local authorities reported damage across multiple facilities. Apartment buildings, coastal structures, and an oil depot were hit, alongside a docked vessel whose three injured crew members were hospitalized. Drone debris also struck the NKHP grain terminal and a nearby container terminal run by the Delo logistics group, though both continued operating. Britain-based maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed damage to a crane, multiple containers, and a non-sanctioned vessel, but no additional casualties.
Industry sources said two berths, 1 and 1A, at Novorossiysk's Sheskharis terminal sustained direct damage, affecting tanker capacity ranging from 40,000 to 140,000 deadweight tons. Russian officials emphasized that emergency crews deployed overnight to contain fires and stabilize affected areas.
While Moscow has not offered detailed assessments and Ukraine has not officially commented, the attack underscores a growing strategic vulnerability: Novorossiysk's outsized importance in Russia's export system, and its increasing exposure to Ukraine's expanding long-range strike capabilities.
