Drone Strike Ignites Fire at Russia's Novorossiysk Oil Port
Significant Incident at Novorossiysk
A fire erupted at the Black Sea oil port of Novorossiysk in Russia, reportedly following a second drone strike within a few days. This port is crucial for oil exports, facilitating shipments to international markets, particularly in Europe and Asia. It also serves as a vital outlet for pipelines transporting oil from Russia and neighboring Kazakhstan. The blaze reportedly started near the Sheskharis oil terminal, managed by Transneft, which is one of the largest facilities on the Black Sea, capable of processing significant amounts of crude oil daily.
This incident follows a similar attack on the same port area earlier in March. Although Ukraine has not officially acknowledged its involvement, officials in Kyiv have previously stated that targeting Russian energy infrastructure is justified, as oil revenues support Moscow's military efforts.
BREAKING: Ukraine launched drone strikes tonight on Russia’s major oil export terminals at the port of Novorossiysk, igniting a fire at the facility. pic.twitter.com/XbdNLeSvUM
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) April 5, 2026
Additionally, a day prior, fuel leakage was reported at Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk, and the NORSI oil refinery caught fire due to a drone attack, according to Russian officials. Ukraine has intensified its strikes on Russian energy facilities recently, aiming to disrupt a key revenue source for Russia's military operations. Primorsk, a major export hub capable of handling 1 million barrels daily, suffered significant damage, losing approximately 40% of its storage capacity in previous drone strikes, as indicated by US commercial satellite imagery.
On the same day, Gleb Nikitin, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, announced on Telegram that a fire broke out at the NORSI oil refinery, the fourth-largest in Russia, following a drone attack. He reported that two facilities at the site were impacted, with damage to a power station and nearby homes, although there were no injuries based on initial reports. Last month, drone attacks led to the shutdown of about 40% of Russia's oil export capabilities, compounded by the closure of pipelines in Ukraine and the seizure of tankers linked to Russia. NORSI, which ranks as the second-largest gasoline producer in Russia, has an annual processing capacity of 16 million metric tons, equivalent to around 320,000 barrels per day.