UKRAINIAN STRIKE HALTS OIL EXPORTS AT RUSSIA’S NOVOROSSIYSK PORT

THE RUSSIAN PORT OF NOVOROSSIYSK IN THE BLACK SEA A MAJOR HUB FOR RUSSIAN COMMODITY EXPORTS HALTED OIL SHIPMENTS ON FRIDAY AFTER WHAT AUTHORITIES DESCRIBED AS A LARGE UKRAINIAN DRONE ATTACK TWO INDUSTRY SOURCES TOLD REUTERS.

THE STRIKE ONE OF THE BIGGEST AGAINST RUSSIA’S OIL EXPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IN RECENT MONTHS COMES AS UKRAINE HAS INTENSIFIED DRONE ATTACKS ON RUSSIAN REFINERIES SINCE AUGUST IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE MOSCOW’S ABILITY TO FUND ITS WAR.

LONG RANGE AIR AND SEA DRONES HAVE REPEATEDLY DISRUPTED RUSSIA’S OIL INFRASTRUCTURE THIS YEAR TARGETING PORTS IN THE BALTIC AND BLACK SEAS PIPELINE SYSTEMS AND MULTIPLE REFINERIES.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY SAID ON FRIDAY THAT KYIV ALSO FIRED LONG RANGE “LONG NEPTUNE” CRUISE MISSILES AT TARGETS INSIDE RUSSIA OVERNIGHT ADDING THAT SUCH STRIKES WERE BECOMING INCREASINGLY SUCCESSFUL. HE DID NOT IDENTIFY SPECIFIC TARGETS.

RUSSIAN PIPELINE MONOPOLY TRANSNEFT WAS FORCED TO SUSPEND SUPPLIES TO NOVOROSSIYSK THE SOURCES SAID. THE COMPANY DECLINED TO COMMENT.

THE CASPIAN PIPELINE CONSORTIUM WHICH EXPORTS KAZAKH OIL THROUGH A NEARBY TERMINAL ALSO HALTED LOADINGS UNTIL THE DRONE ALERT IS LIFTED.

RUSSIAN OFFICIALS SAID THE ATTACK DAMAGED A MOORED SHIP APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND AN OIL DEPOT IN NOVOROSSIYSK INJURING THREE CREW MEMBERS.