On Thursday, Ukrainian naval drones attacked the city of Novorossiysk, home to a key naval base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its military had destroyed two naval drones “in the northeastern part of the Black Sea.”

The city’s mayor, Andrei Kravchenko, asked residents living near the coastline not to approach windows and stay away from open spaces.

Context

Russia has moved much of its prized Black Sea fleet from Sevastopol in Crimea to ports in Novorossiysk and Feodosiya amid threats of Ukrainian attacks on its ships. The port city is a key hub for Russian military logistics.

What do we know

“The attack of unmanned boats is being repelled. Special attention to the residents of the first coastline – do not go outside!” – said Kravchenko.

Russian Telegram channels also reported gunfire and explosions in Novorossiysk, sharing a video recording of the attack.

“Ukrainian Armed Forces surface drones attacked Novorossiysk,” the ASTRA Telegram channel, a project run by independent Russian journalists, reported.

In recent months, Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian ships using Magura V5 naval drones.

In May, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate reported that Russian warships caused $500 million in damage during the war.

HUR spokesman Andriy Yusov said the Magura V5 drone is “the main and best weapon that Ukraine has at its disposal” to attack the Black Sea Fleet.

According to the Kyiv Post, the Ukrainian army has two other naval drones that can reach Novorossiysk – Sea Baby and Kozak Mamai.

The effects of the attack remain unclear. Newsweek contacted the Russian Defense Ministry by email for comment.

In August 2023, Ukrainian naval drones attacked a military base in Novorossiysk, damaging and disabling a large Russian landing ship. Olenegorski Gorniak from the Northern Fleet. It was used to transport troops and military equipment.

Novorossiysk was last targeted by naval drones in July, when the Russian Defense Ministry said two naval drones heading toward the city were destroyed in the Black Sea.

Crimean Telegram channel Crimean Wind disputed Moscow’s version of events, publishing satellite images that allegedly showed fires that broke out in the port of Novorossiysk.

Later, a Russian naval blogger using the Telegram username “Battle Sailor” blamed the attack on a Russian naval commander who had “come to terms with drinking.”

A military blogger predicted a future Ukrainian drone attack on the city, claiming that “one high-ranking official periodically goes on a drinking binge during the war and is then put on IV drips.”

“Almost everyone knows about it. If you get drunk again, your officers will embarrass you in your office, and I will help them spread the word,” the military blogger wrote. “I can no longer tolerate this obscene attitude to the Navy service.”

“PS. The enemy has conducted strong reconnaissance, we should probably expect a more massive attack,” the post concluded.

What’s next?

A third of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been immobilized so far, Ukraine said. Kiev’s forces are likely to continue to attack the naval fleet as part of efforts to reverse Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

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