An overnight drone attack by Ukraine has caused damage and sparked a fire at a key Russian oil export terminal in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. Russian authorities have acknowledged the incident, which led to the suspension of oil and product loadings into tankers.

Details of the Attack and Damage

Fragments from the drones struck an oil depot within the Novorossiysk export terminal, a container terminal, coastal facilities, and a civilian vessel, injuring three crew members. The attack ignited a blaze at the oil depot, which was extinguished approximately three hours later. Videos from purported witnesses, shared by a Ukrainian military channel, show a fire at an oil storage tank location followed by a large detonation, believed to be from a port defense system, though the authenticity of these videos remains unverified.

Impact on Oil Exports and Market Reaction

The attack has raised concerns about potential delays or disruptions to oil and product exports, as Russian authorities did not issue a statement on the operational impact. In early Friday trading, Brent crude futures for January 2026 delivery rose by about 1.5% to approximately $63.95. However, prices later relinquished some of these gains after the Kazakhstan Energy Ministry released a statement confirming that, following consultations with Russian pipeline operator Transneft, there are currently no restrictions on the acceptance and transportation of Kazakh oil via the Atyrau-Samara pipeline and the Aktau-Makhachkala sea route.

Key Infrastructure and Operations

The Novorossiysk terminal is a crucial facility for exporting Russian crude and some Kazakh oil. However, the majority of Kazakhstan's oil, including output from its major foreign-led developments—Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak—is exported via a separate terminal operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), located about 18 kilometers west of the damaged terminal. Transneft, which operates the Novorossiysk terminal, also manages the Russian trunkline network. At the time of the report, at least three oil and product tankers were moored at the terminal's loading berths. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium declined to comment on whether the attack affected operations at its offshore terminal.

This material is an AI-assisted summary based on publicly available sources and may contain inaccuracies. For the original and full details, please refer to the source link. Based on materials by Vladimir Afanasiev. All rights to the original text and images remain with their respective rights holders.