Grain Terminals At Russia’s Novorossiysk Port Stop Operations After Ukrainian Strike Causes Damage & Kills 3

Ukraine has attacked the Russian Port of Novorossiysk, yet again, in an overnight drone strike which damaged two grain terminals, putting them out of operation and killing 3 people, including a child and injuring 24.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that a landing ship, two corvettes and other ships were also hit. Kyiv also said that the attack had strategic significance and that Ukrainian forces had targeted the Novorossiysk naval base.

Russia is the largest wheat exporter in the world, which ships most of its exports through the Black Sea.

Its major lobby group had issued warnings last month that Ukrainian attacks could shut down grain exports through the Black Sea in the future, which could push up prices and cause hunger in Africa and the Middle East.

Andrei Kravchenko, Mayor of Novorossiysk, said that the port declared an emergency after the Wednesday attack in which almost 24 residential buildings and educational institutions were damaged. The drones and other debris fell on 4 industrial plants.

The port’s pier and other infrastructure were also damaged. Russia had shifted most of its warships to Novorossiysk after Ukraine had begun to target the main base at Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula.

Ukrainian drones also caused damage to many homes in Crimea.

In Ukraine’s city of Zaporizhzhia, a Russian attack caused a fire in a shopping mall and cut off power for 1200 consumers.

Russia also targeted Ukraine’s biggest seaport, Odesa, and caused severe damage to its infrastructure, according to the head of the city’s military administration, Serhiy Lysak.

The Defence Ministry claimed to have struck a fuel depot at the port, which it said was used to supply the Ukrainian Army.

Russia has recently increased attacks on storage facilities used to keep food and agricultural products to pressurise Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that Kyiv had sent plans to U.S negotiators to end the war with Russia, which has been going on since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Ukraine has agreed to stop drone attacks on oil tankers heading to or leaving the Novorossiysk Port after a request from U.S Vice President JD Vance.

Negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war have remained at a standstill since the U.S and Israel launched their war on Iran.