Ukrainian Drone Strike Hits Novorossiysk Port and Crimea on August 12

On the night of August 12, Ukrainian forces launched a coordinated drone operation against Russia’s southern Krasnodar Krai and occupied Crimea. Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said “several hundred drones” struck Novorossiysk, Anapa, Gelendzhik, the Temryuksky district and Crimean sites near the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant and Bakhchysarai.

Kyiv IndependentExplosions have been continuing for more than five hours in Novorossiysk: the city is under attack by drones, and there are fires CNN

Novorossiysk hosts a naval base used by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, partially relocated from Crimea after earlier Ukrainian attacks. The August 12 raid follows a Ukrainian campaign to increase drone strikes on Russian logistical and military targets far from the front line.

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• Drone volume: Kondratyev reported “several hundred” drones; the Russian Defense Ministry later claimed its air defenses destroyed 502 drones across Krasnodar Krai and Crimea.

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• Casualties: An 8-year-old boy was reported killed in Novorossiysk; eight people, including a child, were injured.

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• Property damage: Drone debris damaged 21 residential buildings and four businesses. Fires hit the Novorossiysk Grain Processing Plant, the Sheskharis oil terminal, and other port infrastructure serving the Black Sea Fleet, temporarily halting grain terminal operations.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky called the operation “unique” and warned that the naval fleet “will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues.” The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted the attack, reporting 502 drones destroyed over a wide area that included several Russian regions and occupied Crimea.

Kyiv Independent

Residents described repeated explosions and fires. The Exilenova+ Telegram feed noted damage to the grain and oil terminals. Eyewitness video showed high-rise apartments with holes, shattered windows and burning cars, suggesting gaps in Russian air defenses. Local reports also mentioned a fire at a refinery and a military unit in northern Crimea.

Explosions have been continuing for more than five hours in Novorossiysk: the city is under attack by drones, and there are fires

• Casualty verification: One source reported the child’s death and eight injuries, while another said “no casualties are known.”

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• Business damage: Kondratyev mentioned four businesses were hit but gave no details; other sources did not confirm the extent of commercial losses.

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• Attack verification: Ukrainian authorities have not commented, and independent verification of the full damage remains pending.

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• “The occupation fleet and all the infrastructure supporting it will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues,” — Volodymyr Zelensky, president

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• “We definitely see an increased number of (attack) events, an increased number of casualties as well,” — Olha Polishchuk, Eastern Europe research manager, ACLED

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• “That is a significant issue for Russia, because obviously the past 40 days have demonstrated that they have a serious weakness when it comes to interception, and Ukraine has been able to reach their targets quite successfully,” — Natia Seskuria, senior research fellow, RUSI

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Russian officials said air-defense operations will continue to target Ukrainian drones, and monitoring channels remain active in the Black Sea region. No further official timelines have been announced.

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