Navy Drone Attacks Black Sea Fleet Novorossiysk Base

Novorossiysk, which became one of the main bases of the Russian Black Sea Fleet after being driven out of the Crimean Peninsula due to the Ukrainian attack, was attacked by a naval drone overnight.

According to the mayor, Andrei Kravchenko, a maritime drone from an unmanned surface ship attacked the port of Novorossiysk in the early hours of Thursday, September 5.

Novorossiysk is one of the main ports of the Russian Black Sea and is strategically important for the country’s military logistics.

Meanwhile, a report from the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russian troops destroyed two drone ships in the northeastern Black Sea during the night.

Traffic was restricted in the city’s coastal areas. At around 8:00 a.m., the alarm that had been sounding since 1:30 a.m. was triggered. The mayor of Novorossiysk did not provide detailed information on the consequences of the attack.

Ukraine has three main types of USVs (i.e. sea drones) capable of reaching Novorossiysk: HUR’s MAGURA V5 and two SBU drones: Sea Baby and Kozak Mamai.

It is unclear which of the three aircraft was used to attack Novorossiysk, and Ukraine has not made any official comments.

Novorossiysk became the main base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet after the Ukrainian army destroyed part of the Russian military fleet stationed in occupied Sevastopol.

Reports say that some ships have been transferred from occupied Crimea to Novorossiysk, making the city a major Russian Black Sea Fleet hub.

Novorossiysk, the main port for the export of Russian oil products, was attacked several times in 2024 by the Ukrainian army using unmanned ships and drones. These attacks caused serious damage to the infrastructure in the region, including refineries and military bases.

The EU is closely watching the personnel changes in the Ukrainian cabinet of ministers, hoping to continue to strengthen cooperation.

Despite being far from the front line, Novorossiysk has also become a symbol of Russia’s weak infrastructure. The attack on the city demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to strike long-range targets and destroy strategically important targets, affecting the course of the war and the morale of both sides.