Ukraine Strikes Grain Terminals at Russia’s Key Black Sea Port

A massive drone strike in the early hours of the morning hit three grain terminals in Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, according to people familiar with the matter. The United Grain Co.'s Novorossiysk Grain Plant saw its loading gallery crash to the ground, while Demetra's Novorossiysk Grain Terminal suffered damage to its loading gallery and truck unloading facility. The KSK grain terminal was also targeted.

The attacks come as Ukraine escalates strikes on key maritime infrastructure, raising concerns about supplies and pushing wheat prices to a two-year high in July. Both Ukraine and Russia have stepped up attacks on each other's commercial ships and ports in the Black Sea.

Satellite images from NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System indicated heat anomalies in Novorossiysk, suggesting fires. Local officials confirmed that Ukrainian drones targeted the naval base in Novorossiysk, which is the last major stronghold of the Russian Black Sea fleet.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed that the occupation fleet and supporting infrastructure would not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues, calling for diplomacy to stop the war. However, it is unclear if the absence of fire at the oil terminal is due to limited geolocational accuracy. The Russian state-run oil-pipeline operator Transneft and the Novorossiysk port administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ukraine has targeted Russian energy assets, including refineries, export terminals, tankers, and oil-pipeline infrastructure, in an effort to disrupt Moscow's ability to process and sell crude and fuels, putting pressure on President Vladimir Putin to negotiate.