What Happened

Zelensky/TelegramByLaura GozziPublished12 August 2026A "massive" Ukrainian drone and missile strike on Russia's port of Novorossiysk has damaged export terminals Russian , reports say.

Three people, including an eight-year-old child, were killed and another 24 injured in the overnight attack, local officials said.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky launched rockets, drones in a "unique operation" to strike the Russian base, although mention grain terminals being hit.

Ukraine's military Russian warships, including two frigates, were hit. Russia has not commented .

Why It Matters

"The occupying infrastructure that supports Russian aggression continues," Zelensky said in a post on social media.

Most of Russia's docked in Novorossiysk - largest ports in Russia - forced to vacate its former Sevastopol, in the Russia-occupied Crimean peninsula, exposed to Ukrainian attacks.

A major grain trading company confirmed to Russia's TASS news agency that its terminal , while another told Reuters and Russian outlet .

The Russian agriculture ministry announced on Wednesday working to redirect Baltic and Caspian routes. reference to Ukraine's attacks "taking into account current logistical constraints".

What Comes Next

Repeated explosions reportedly Novorossiysk throughout defences shot down aerial objects.

An emergency situation was declared Wednesday, after the barrage of drones struck areas around damaged pipelines, suspending water supply .

Elsewhere in the region a man was killed by drone debris, regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said. Several locations in the surrounding Krasnodar region were also struck by "several hundred drones" overnight, Kondratyev added, with dozens of buildings damaged, including homes.

, Moscow launched aerial overnight strikes which killed at least 11 civilians in Ukraine between Tuesday and Wednesday.

The majority were killed when Russia hit the southern city of Zaporizhzhia with ballistic missiles .

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

After a period of relative , over the course of this summer Kyiv and Moscow resumed striking one another's ports and shipping.

Explore more: Global Mobility Guide