Ukraine Strikes Major Russian Oil Hub In Novorossiysk | World News

Ukraine struck a major oil terminal in the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, sparking a fire and damaging key infrastructure, CNN reported; even deadly Russian attacks rained down on Kiev.

The warehouse, one of Russia’s largest oil export facilities, was targeted by Ukrainian forces in an attack acknowledged by officials in both countries and underscored Kiev’s growing efforts to target a key source of war revenue for Russia.

Ukraine’s General Staff said the attack damaged “valuable” infrastructure at both the port and oil terminal, as well as a launcher belonging to Russia’s S-400 air defense system.

The General Staff added that Ukrainian weapons, including long-range Neptune missiles and various types of offensive UAVs, were used in the attack on Novorossiysk.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed that Ukraine had fired domestically produced long-range Neptune cruise missiles at Russian targets, but did not specify their location, according to CNN.

“This is our completely justified reaction to the ongoing Russian terrorism,” Zelensky said in his social media post.

Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said this week that Ukraine was “increasing the effectiveness” of its use of indigenous long-range weapons, including Neptune and Flamingo missiles as well as jet drones.

Earlier, a source in Ukraine’s Security Service said forces hit “Russia’s second largest oil export centre,” damaging oil tankers, pipeline infrastructure and pumping stations, according to CNN.

A “major” fire broke out at the facility during the operation, and it continued to burn on Friday morning. The source stated that anti-aircraft missile systems were also hit.

The governor of Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratiev, confirmed the attack on the Novorossiysk oil depot and claimed that parts of the downed Ukrainian drones hit the oil depot.

Kondratiev reported that at least 4 people were injured and at least 4 apartments and 2 private houses were damaged as a result of the attack on the Ukrainian port city. He said a state of emergency was declared there.

The Russian defense ministry said a total of 216 Ukrainian drones were seized overnight.

At the same time, Kyiv was subjected to another wave of intense Russian air strikes. Local officials said at least seven people were killed and dozens injured in the capital. According to Kyiv police, among the dead was a married couple aged 71 and 73.

Two more people were killed in an attack on the Russian Black Sea city of Chornomorsk in southern Ukraine on Friday morning, the head of the Odesa regional military administration said.