DID Press: A naval drone strike attributed to Novorossiysk’s Black Sea oil terminal forced the suspension of operations at one of Russia’s largest export hubs on Saturday, according to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). The attack reportedly damaged the mooring system at the terminal, making loading operations impossible and prompting the port authority to order tankers to leave the area.
The strikes coincided with a broader offensive by Ukraine using naval drones against Russian “shadow-fleet” tankers — including Kairos and Virat — as they sailed toward Novorossiysk to load oil, an operation Kyiv says is aimed at curbing Russia’s oil revenues amid the war.
CPC said the attack occurred at approximately 04:06 Moscow time when a “unmanned boat” struck the single-point mooring unit (SMP-2), causing “serious damage.” No CPC staff were reported injured, and emergency protocols — including shutting off pipelines — appear to have prevented any major spill.
The incident underlines the vulnerability of Russia’s Black Sea oil export infrastructure, which handles both Russian and Kazakh crude. Observers warn such attacks could have ripple effects on global oil markets — particularly if the disruption persists or spreads to other terminals.