Ukraine strikes Russia’s Black Sea naval base as grain terminals shut, wheat prices rise

New Delhi: Ukraine struck Russia’s Black Sea naval base and port infrastructure at Novorossiysk overnight on Wednesday in a coordinated attack involving drones and anti-ship missiles. Three people, including an 8-year-old child, were killed and 24 wounded across Russia’s Krasnodar region, according to the regional governor, Veniamin Kondratyev.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described Novorossiysk as the last major stronghold of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and said the operation hit air defences, piers and other naval infrastructure. Russia moved much of its fleet there after repeated Ukrainian strikes made Sevastopol in Crimea increasingly vulnerable.

The attack underlined Ukraine’s growing ability to strike Russian military infrastructure far from the front line. Kyiv has increasingly combined long-range drones, missiles and unmanned naval systems to challenge Russia’s freedom of movement in the Black Sea.

Ukraine said Russian warships were hit during the operation, although the extent of damage has not been independently established. Russia said its air defences intercepted more than 500 Ukrainian drones during the wider overnight assault.

Dozens of residential buildings and several industrial sites were also damaged in the Krasnodar region.

The strategic value of Novorossiysk has increased considerably since Russia shifted naval assets away from Crimea. The port now serves simultaneously as a military base, grain-export gateway and major energy hub.

Grain shutdown pushes up wheat prices

The attack also disrupted Russia’s agricultural exports. Reuters, citing industry sources, reported that two major grain terminals at Novorossiysk halted operations after the strikes, while AP said two of the port’s three grain terminals were damaged.

Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter, making interruptions at Novorossiysk particularly sensitive for international markets. Moscow has accused Ukraine of worsening global food-supply pressures by attacking agricultural infrastructure, while Russian strikes have also sharply reduced Ukraine’s own ability to move grain through Black Sea ports.

Ukrainian grain exports during the first half of August were down 76% from the same period a year earlier, according to government figures cited by Reuters.

The latest strike comes amid a sharp escalation in attacks on vessels, ports and export infrastructure across the Black Sea. Ukrainian government data cited by Reuters showed 35 attacks on vessels in port, 22 at sea and 67 on port facilities in July alone.

The mounting risk is feeding directly into shipping costs.

Tanker rates in parts of the Black Sea have risen from just over $200,000 to more than $300,000 a day, while war-risk insurance premiums for some voyages have climbed to as much as 2% of a vessel’s value.

Novorossiysk is also important to global oil flows because the Caspian Pipeline Consortium carries crude from Kazakhstan to terminals near the Russian port. The system handles oil from fields involving major US companies, including Chevron and ExxonMobil.

Reuters, citing the Financial Times, reported that the US vice-president, JD Vance, had asked Ukraine to halt attacks on certain tankers using Novorossiysk. A US official confirmed that the administration had warned Kyiv against attacking non-Russian vessels in the Black Sea, amid concern over Kazakhstan’s oil exports and global energy markets.

Russia responds with strikes on Ukraine

Russia continued its long-range attacks during the same night. Ukraine’s air force said Moscow launched 138 long-range drones as well as an unspecified number of missiles, with damage recorded at 16 locations.

Two people were killed in the Kherson region, while a shopping centre in Zaporizhzhia was destroyed. The Russian defence ministry said missiles and drones also struck fuel-storage and military-cargo infrastructure at Chornomorsk in the Odesa region.