Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian forces have carried out a significant long-range attack against Russia’s Black Sea infrastructure in Novorossiysk, targeting a naval base, oil-loading facilities and warships capable of carrying Kalibr cruise missiles.
Zelenskyy announced the operation on September 9, describing it as part of Ukraine’s expanding campaign to respond to Russian attacks by striking strategic targets deeper inside Russian territory.
The Ukrainian president said the operation produced results in Novorossiysk, a strategically important port city in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Independent reporting also confirmed that Ukrainian authorities had announced strikes against the naval base and oil infrastructure in the city.
Naval Base and Oil Terminal Among Targets
According to Zelenskyy, the operation struck several strategically important facilities concentrated around the Novorossiysk naval and port complex.
He said a terminal involved in loading or shipping oil was hit alongside infrastructure within the military harbor. Russian warships were also among the targets, including vessels capable of carrying Kalibr cruise missiles.
Ukraine has repeatedly identified Russian missile-carrying naval vessels as priority targets because Kalibr missiles have been used in long-range attacks against Ukrainian territory.
The precise scale of damage caused by the latest operation was not immediately established. Ukraine’s General Staff said fires were reported around the naval base and a fuel-oil terminal while assessments of the damage continued.
Kalibr-Capable Warships Reportedly Hit
Zelenskyy specifically highlighted Russian warships carrying Kalibr missiles when describing the results of the operation, indicating that degrading Moscow’s long-range strike capability remains an important objective of Ukraine’s campaign against Black Sea Fleet assets.
Ukraine’s military intelligence subsequently reported that the Project 11356 frigate Admiral Essen was struck during the operation. The vessel is capable of carrying Kalibr cruise missiles.
Novorossiysk has become an increasingly important location for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, providing maintenance and logistical support for Russian naval vessels, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
Multiple Ukrainian Security Agencies Involved
The operation involved several branches of Ukraine’s defense and security establishment, according to Zelenskyy.
He credited personnel from the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Ukrainian Navy, Defense Intelligence and the State Border Guard Service for the precision of the attack.
The involvement of multiple agencies points to a coordinated long-range operation combining Ukraine’s growing unmanned and maritime strike capabilities.
Zelenskyy praised the personnel involved and also thanked those responsible for developing Ukraine’s expanding arsenal of domestically supported long-range weapons.
Kyiv Expands Its Deep-Strike Campaign
The Novorossiysk operation comes as Ukraine increasingly targets military, energy and logistical infrastructure far beyond the immediate frontline.
Zelenskyy framed those attacks as a direct response to Russia’s continuing missile and drone campaign against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
Ukraine has targeted Russian oil terminals, refineries and other strategic facilities with long-range drones throughout the conflict, seeking to increase the economic and military costs of Moscow’s campaign.
For Kyiv, the ability to reach targets hundreds of kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory has become an increasingly important part of its broader military strategy.
Zelenskyy Promises Continued Pressure Inside Russia
Zelenskyy described Ukraine’s long-range capabilities as a form of battlefield pressure designed to ensure that the consequences of the war are increasingly felt inside Russia itself.
His remarks signal that Kyiv intends to continue expanding its ability to attack targets associated with Russia’s military operations, naval forces and supporting infrastructure.
The Ukrainian president characterized the Novorossiysk attack as part of a broader response to what he calls Russia’s daily strikes against Ukraine, presenting deep-strike operations as both retaliation and an attempt to weaken Moscow’s ability to conduct future attacks.
With the naval base, oil infrastructure and missile-capable warships reportedly targeted in the same operation, the latest strike underscores Ukraine’s continuing effort to pressure Russia simultaneously on military, maritime and energy fronts.
