Major Russian grain export terminals hit in Ukraine Black Sea port attack

A Ukrainian drone and missile assault on Russia's Novorossiysk port inflicted substantial damage to two major grain export terminals, along with striking the last substantial Russian naval base on the Black Sea. Three individuals, including an eight-year-old child, lost their lives, while 24 others were injured in the overnight attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Kyiv carried out a "unique operation" by launching rockets, jet and naval drones, though he did not explicitly mention the terminals being targeted. The Ukrainian military subsequently reported that four Russian warships, including two frigates, were hit. Russia has yet to comment on the matter.

Zelensky stated on social media that "the occupying fleet and all the infrastructure that supports it will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues."

Novorossiysk, one of the largest ports in Russia, houses the majority of Russia's Black Sea fleet following their relocation from the Crimean peninsula due to its vulnerability to Ukrainian attacks. The assault follows a surge in exchanges of strikes in the Black Sea during the summer, following a period of relative tranquility.

A prominent grain trading firm confirmed to Russia's TASS news agency that its terminal was among those affected in Wednesday's attack. Another source told Reuters and Russian outlet RBK of the same occurrence. The Russian agriculture ministry announced on Wednesday that it was striving to reroute cargo to ports in the Baltic and Caspian Seas, as well as land routes, without referencing Ukraine's attacks, stating they were "taking into account current logistical constraints."

Explosions erupted throughout Novorossiysk throughout the night, with air defenses successfully shooting down aerial objects. An emergency situation was declared in the city due to the barrage of drones striking areas around the port and damaging pipelines, which led to the suspension of the city's water supply. In the broader region, a man was killed by drone debris, while several locations in the Krasnodar region were struck by "several hundred drones" during the night, causing damage to numerous buildings, including homes.

Moscow retaliated with overnight airstrikes that killed at least 11 civilians in Ukraine between Tuesday and Wednesday, primarily when targeting the southern city of Zaporizhzhia with ballistic missiles and glide bombs. Zelensky told CNN that Ukraine would require a tenth of the current US arsenal of interceptor missiles to counter all Russian ballistic missile attacks, while five percent of the stockpile would suffice for the winter.

He added that Ukraine currently possesses only two and a half times fewer interceptors than in 2022, with Russia having twice as many ballistic missiles per month.