Sea drones destroyed near major Russian port, says Moscow

Explosions rocked a major Russian port city on the Black Sea early Friday, in what Russia’s defense ministry said was an attempt by Ukraine to attack a naval base with sea drones.

Two unmanned boats were destroyed before reaching the base in the city, Novorossiysk, the ministry said on Telegram. There were no injuries or damage, according to the regional governor, Veniamin Kondratiev. Russian state media reported that there were no disruptions to oil shipments at the port, where a pipeline carrying oil exports from Central Asia ends and the crude is loaded onto tankers.

Movement of ships at the port was temporarily halted, state media said, citing the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, a group that manages oil exports through the port.

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Tensions around the Black Sea have escalated in recent weeks. Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian ports along the coast and up the Danube River and threatened to target ships traveling through its waters since resuming its blockade last month of the sea. Russian drones and missiles have in recent days bombarded the Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Mykolaiv, Reni and Izmail, destroying more than 200,000 tons of grain.

Ukrainian officials did not immediately address the attacks on Novorossiysk. Ukraine has largely maintained a policy of neither confirming nor denying involvement in attacks inside Russia, while increasingly asserting that targets within Russian borders are legitimate as it defends itself against Moscow’s invasion.

The attacks appeared to be the first targeting of Novorossiysk, where one of Russia’s largest ports is situated. In addition to the oil terminal, it has shipbuilding yards and grain elevators. It is also home to a significant base for the Russian navy’s prized Black Sea Fleet.

The port factored into the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which protected grain shipments from Ukrainian ports for a year until Russia suspended its participation in July. The deal came together only after the European Union clarified that its sanctions did not affect Novorossiysk, assuring banks, insurers and other companies that they could participate in the export of Russian grains and fertilizers without violating sanctions.

So far in the war, Ukrainian attacks around the Black Sea have targeted the occupied Crimean Peninsula, where the Black Sea Fleet is based. Russia accused Ukraine of attacking Sevastopol, the fleet’s base, with sea and aerial drones in October and again last month. Sea drones were also used in last month’s attack on the Kerch Strait Bridge connecting the peninsula to Russia, Moscow has said.