Game Changing Attack against Russia - Crisis Report

Novorossiysk Port Oil Terminal Attacked!
On 18 November 2022, multiple Russian and Ukrainian media outlets reported that an attack took place at an oil terminal in Novorssiysk port on Russia’s Black Sea coast. A major base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet (BSF) is close to the oil terminal.

The BSF relocated many of its submarine operations to Novorssiysk after its Sevastopol base in occupied Crimea was struck by Ukraine over the summer. Russian commanders will likely be concerned about threats to the Novorssiysk-based amphibious landing ship flotilla.These vessels are relatively vulnerable without escorts and have assumed a more important role in supplying Russian forces in Ukraine since the Kerch Bridge was damaged in October.

It would also further undermine Russia’s already reduced maritime influence in the Black Sea.

Around November 11-15 a boom was deployed across the entrance of the naval base at Novorossiysk. This was just after the Ukrainian government published the range of their maritime drones (USVs) as 430 NM (800 km), meaning that Novorossiysk is within range.

The boom is similar to those in Sevastopol. On November 16-17 (exact date Tbc), a lone Ukrainian USV attacked the oil terminal adjacent to the naval base. It was possibly because of this new boom that the Ukrainians chose the oil terminal over the naval base. The oil infrastructure is also a strategic target however and much harder to protect with booms.

Sources: @DefenceHQ and @CovertShores on Twitter.