The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), together with other components of the Defense Forces, struck Russian warships, air defense systems, and oil infrastructure in the port of Novorossiysk, a Kyiv Post source in the SBU said.
The operation was carried out using drones operated by the SBU’s Alpha Special Operations Center in coordination with other Defense Forces units.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
According to preliminary data, the SBU drones hit:
- warships;
- the 30N6E2 guidance radar of the S-300 PMU-2 Favorit system;
- the Pantsir-S2 air defense missile system;
- six of the seven oil tankers at the Sheskharis oil terminal.
- A large-scale fire has been burning at the port since the early morning, the source added.
The SBU noted that the Sheskharis terminal is one of the largest oil and petroleum product transshipment facilities in southern Russia and supplies fuel to Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.
“Each such special operation directly affects Russia’s ability to conduct combat operations and receive petrodollar revenues for its budget,” the source said.
Explosions were reported in the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight between Sunday and Monday.
Novorossiysk hosts Russia’s second-largest oil export facilities and the bulk of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet after Ukrainian drones rendered naval bases in occupied Crimea unsafe for the fleet.
Between Sunday and Monday, Novorossiysk Mayor Andrey Kravchenko reported ongoing Ukrainian drone strikes and damage to buildings, while videos from locals show fire erupting on the horizon and explosions ringing across the city.
Russia’s independent outlet Astra, citing local reports, reported a fire at an oil terminal in Novorossiysk, with flames illuminating an orange glow against the dark skyline.
Ukraine’s Offensive Power is Surging | Stefan Korshak
“In Novorossiysk, an oil terminal caught fire, presumably as a result of an attack by a drone and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV),” Astra wrote.
In another video shared by Astra, locals could be seen ducking for cover as explosions rang across the city.
Mayor Kravchenko confirmed the city was under attack and attributed the attacks to Ukrainian drones.
At around 9:38 p.m. on Sunday, Kravchenko reported threats from aerial and naval drones; close to 30 minutes later, he issued an update saying the “embankment area from Isaeva Street to Suvorovskaya Street” was closed to traffic.
At the time of publication, Kravchenko said some residential buildings were damaged but did not comment on the fire seen near the oil terminals.
He said the roof of an apartment building was damaged, with no casualties, around midnight, and later issued an update saying damage was reported at multiple addresses.
“Damage is currently reported to two more apartment buildings and five private homes. Fires broke out at two addresses as a result, and they are being extinguished. According to preliminary information, there are no casualties,” he wrote.
Novorossiysk has been a frequent target of Ukrainian strikes due to the oil and naval assets located around the area.
In December 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck a Russian submarine docked at the Novorossiysk port using a previously undisclosed underwater drone.
US protests against previous strike on Novorossiysk
The city’s oil terminals were also hit in a major Ukrainian strike on Nov. 25, 2025, which damaged the Sheskharis oil-loading terminal, S-300/S-400 air-defense systems, and a large Russian landing ship.
But on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington, Olha Stefanishyna, said the US sent her a démarche – an official diplomatic notice – saying the November attack affected American economic interests.
“We heard from the State Department that we should refrain from attacking American interests,” she said at a briefing. “It was related to the very fact that American economic interest was affected there… We have taken the note on that.”
The terminal, owned by Russia’s state pipeline company Transneft, also handles Kazakh oil through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which includes US energy giant Chevron as a shareholder.
Chevron was also the only major US oil company producing in Venezuela through a legal waiver from 2006 until the ouster of Nicolas Maduro several months ago.
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter
OPINION: Germany Steps Up
