Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk temporarily suspended oil exports – equivalent to 2.2 million barrels per day, or 2% of global supply – on Friday, after a Ukrainian missile and drone attack, reports Reuters.
The attack was one of the biggest on Russian oil-exporting infrastructure in recent months. It follows a ramping-up of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries since August, part of an attempt by Kyiv to degrade Moscow’s ability to finance its war.
Global oil prices rallied by more than 2% on supply fears after the attack. Long-range Ukrainian air and sea drone strikes have repeatedly disrupted Russian oil infrastructure this year, targeting Baltic and Black Sea ports, a trunk pipeline system, and a number of oil refineries.
Ukraine also fires cruise missiles
Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces had fired Neptune cruise missiles and used various types of strike drones in the attack on Novorossiysk “as part of efforts to reduce the military and economic potential of the Russian aggressor“.
Ukraine said it separately struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region and a fuel storage facility in nearby Engels overnight.
Russian pipeline oil monopoly Transneft, opens new tab has also been forced to suspend supplies to the port of Novorossiysk, the sources told Reuters. The company declined to comment.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which exports oil from Kazakhstan through the neighbouring Yuzhnaya Ozereevka terminal, suspended oil loadings for a few hours and then resumed them when the air alert was lifted, sources said.
It plans to export 1.45 million barrels per day this month from the Yuzhnaya Ozereevka terminal, around 15 kilometres (9 miles) southwest of Novorossiysk.
Debris from the drones fell on the terrain of Russian grain terminal NKHP, which was working normally, Interfax news agency reported, citing director general Yury Medvedev.
Russian officials said Friday’s attack had also damaged a docked ship, apartment buildings and an oil depot in Novorossiysk, injuring three of the vessel’s crew members.
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Source: Reuters
