Russia has temporarily halted oil exports from its Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after a Ukrainian missile and drone strike that also hit nearby energy infrastructure.
The disruption affects about 2.2 million barrels of oil per day, roughly 2% of global supply, and has contributed to a rise in world oil prices.
The attack, in the early hours of Friday, targeted port facilities at Novorossiysk, a key outlet for Russian crude and oil products, and one of the country’s most important export hubs on the Black Sea. Industry sources described it as among the most significant strikes on Russian oil-exporting infrastructure in recent months.
Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces used Neptune cruise missiles alongside a range of air and sea drones against Novorossiysk. The operation was described in Kyiv as part of broader efforts to constrain Russia’s ability to wage war by striking energy and logistics assets. The General Staff added that Ukrainian forces had also attacked an oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region and a fuel storage site in the Engels area overnight.
Russia’s pipeline monopoly Transneft was reported by industry sources to have suspended pipeline deliveries to Novorossiysk following the attack. The company did not comment publicly. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which transports Kazakh crude to a terminal at Yuzhnaya Ozereevka, about 15 kilometres south-west of Novorossiysk, briefly halted loadings in response to an air-raid alert before resuming operations later in the day. The consortium plans to ship about 1.45 million barrels per day from the terminal this month.
At Novorossiysk itself, the focus of the disruption is the Sheskharis oil terminal, which handles large volumes of crude and oil products. Industry data indicate that crude shipments from Sheskharis averaged about 761,000 barrels per day in October, with additional significant volumes of refined products also exported through the port.
According to three industry sources, the Ukrainian strike damaged two loading berths at Sheskharis, identified as berths 1 and 1A, which are used by tankers of approximately 40,000 and 140,000 deadweight tonnes respectively. Two of the sources said the Sierra Leone-flagged tanker Arlan was also hit.
Russian regional authorities reported a wider pattern of damage around the city. Veniamin Kondratyev, governor of Krasnodar region, said Novorossiysk “suffered the most” in the attack. He stated that more than 170 personnel and around 50 pieces of equipment were deployed overnight to tackle fires and assist residents, and reported that three crew members from a damaged vessel had been taken to hospital.
Local officials said a fire at an oil depot at the Sheskharis terminal had been extinguished and noted damage to coastal structures, without giving further detail. Images released via local channels showed an apartment building with visible structural damage, which Russian authorities attributed to falling debris from Ukrainian drones.
Commercial infrastructure beyond the oil terminal was also affected. The NKHP grain terminal reported that drone debris had fallen on its territory but said operations continued. Delo Group, which operates a container terminal in Novorossiysk, stated that debris had landed within its facility but that it remained in service. A British maritime security company, Ambrey, said a crane and several containers had been damaged, and that a non-sanctioned container ship alongside the terminal sustained collateral damage, though its crew were uninjured after sheltering in a designated safe area.
In its statement, Ukraine’s General Staff said the attack had also damaged a Russian S-400 air defence launcher and a missile storage site, resulting in detonations and fire.
The strike forms part of a wider Ukrainian campaign in recent months against Russian oil infrastructure, including refineries and export terminals on both the Baltic and Black Seas, as well as elements of the trunk pipeline system. Kyiv’s stated objective is to disrupt Russia’s fuel production and export revenue, which it regards as central to Moscow’s ability to sustain its military operations in Ukraine.
Global oil markets reacted quickly to the news from Novorossiysk. Benchmark prices rose by more than 2% on concerns over supply, reflecting the scale of the volumes handled at the port.
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