The city of Novorossiysk recently experienced a combined assault from both sea and air, involving uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The attack resulted in casualties, with several residential buildings, a hotel in the city center, and the office of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium sustaining damage.
According to the operational headquarters of the Kuban region, two people were killed and at least six were injured during the Ukrainian drone strike on Novorossiysk. The central part of the city was specifically targeted. Three of the injured were hospitalized with moderate injuries, while three others remain in serious condition. Seven buildings, including the Novorossiysk Hotel, and approximately two dozen vehicles were damaged. The office of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium also reported damage, as detailed by Ilya Arkhipov, head of the consortium`s press service, in an interview with Business FM.
“Right in the middle of a workday, Novorossiysk was subjected to a massive attack involving unmanned aerial vehicles. Residential buildings, a hotel, and the city office of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium were damaged. Regrettably, two of our employees sustained injuries of varying severity and were promptly taken to a medical facility. We received information that one of them has a shrapnel wound, suggesting that some UAVs might have been equipped with explosive elements. The administrative office`s operations have been temporarily suspended, and all personnel have been evacuated. Unfortunately, there are other offices in the building where our office is located, and serious casualties were also reported there, though not among our company’s employees.”
Mayor Andrey Kravchenko confirmed that attacks by uncrewed surface vessels were being repelled in Novorossiysk. Dmitry Kornev, editor of «New Defense Order» magazine, offered insights into the probable objectives of the attack.
“The first thought that comes to mind is an attempt to strike the administrative center for pipeline management. Attacking Novorossiysk as a populated area primarily holds symbolic significance; there`s no military or indirect damage objective to such a strike. However, it seems they likely missed their intended target, with the Caspian Pipeline Consortium suffering damage but nothing more severe. Instead, residential areas and a hotel were hit. Simultaneously, there was an attack by sea drones; several of these marine drones were reportedly destroyed directly in Novorossiysk Bay.
It`s probable that this complex attack had multiple objectives: striking trade infrastructure, potentially naval vessels, and targeting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Alternatively, it could have been a terrorist attack on civilian buildings and the city of Novorossiysk. Along the Black Sea coast, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have begun striking port cities and tourist centers, likely aiming to deter tourism, sow panic among the civilian population, and gain media attention within the Russian Federation. Regarding today`s attack on Novorossiysk specifically, we observed a combined air and sea assault almost in real-time. It`s quite possible that the aerial drones were meant to divert attention from the forces and assets countering the sea drones, giving the marine drones an advantage for striking naval vessels. However, neither objective was achieved; the drones ultimately crashed into civilian areas, damaging civilian objects. All sea drones were reportedly destroyed in Novorossiysk harbor.”
Following the incident, an uncrewed surface vessel attack alert was declared in Gelendzhik. All small craft were prohibited from entering the sea, and people were advised to evacuate beaches and embankments. The operational headquarters of the Krasnodar Krai also reported a UAV attack threat in Anapa.
Earlier in the morning, temporary restrictions were imposed on aircraft arrivals and departures at Gelendzhik Airport. Rosaviatsia also announced potential adjustments to flight schedules at Krasnodar Airport.
