Russia shuts down key Black Sea export terminal in Novorossiysk after drone attack, Reuters reports

Russia has suspended exports of crude oil from the Sheskharis terminal at the port of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea, Reuters reported on Aug. 14, citing three industry sources.

The news follows a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack against Novorossiysk overnight on Aug. 12.

Russian authorities in Novorossiysk warned of another drone threat on Aug. 14, leading to the suspension of work at the Sheskharis terminal, sources told Reuters.

A tanker that had been scheduled to load a shipment of crude oil departed the port without its cargo due to the drone alert, one source said. The port then stopped loading crude oil altogether. The terminal also stopped receiving oil because the storage tanks were at capacity.

The Sheskharis terminal is Russia’s main oil export facility in the Black Sea, processing around 700,000 barrels per day of crude. The terminal was damaged during the overnight strike on Aug. 12, according to monitoring channels.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 12 that Ukrainian forces had carried out a “unique operation” against Novorossiysk involving Palianytsia jet-powered drones, Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles, and naval drones. The attack hit Russian air-defense positions, piers, and port infrastructure, he said.

Veniamin Kondratyev, regional governor of Krasnodar Krai, said the attack on Novorossiysk killed an 8-year-old boy and injured eight others, including a child.

Novorossiysk is home to a naval base used by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. It also houses a major commercial port. According to one of Reuters’ industry sources, nearly 1 million barrels of Russian crude were loaded per day in Novorossiysk in July alone. Loadings reached about 800,000 barrels per day in June.

This strong showing may not continue if Ukrainian strikes continue to mount pressure against Russian maritime operations. After the Aug. 12 strike, Zelensky vowed to continue strikes on Russian ports in retaliation for ballistic missile attacks against Ukrainian cities.

“The occupation fleet and all the infrastructure supporting it will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues,” he said.

Moscow on Aug. 14 rejected Kyiv’s offer of a truce in the Black Sea, a measure that could prevent a global food crisis. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakaharova said that reviving the 2022-2023 Black Sea grain initiative would be “ill-advised.”