In an escalation in the Black Sea, a Ukrainian attack damaged terminals in Russia's Novorossiysk, while Russian drones hit the area around Ukraine's Izmail. Romania scrambled fighter jets due to an airspace violation.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated to a new level over the past two days, with mutual attacks on ports crucial to global grain exports. Ukraine struck Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk on Tuesday night, and Russia retaliated on Wednesday with an attack on the area around Izmail, Ukraine's largest port on the Danube, according to Dutch broadcaster NOS.
According to local officials, three people, including an eight-year-old child, were killed in the Ukrainian attack on Novorossiysk, and 24 others were wounded. Ukraine's military command claims that four Russian warships, including two frigates, were hit.
Ukrainian President Zelensky called the attack a "unique operation" involving missiles, fighter jets, and drones. The target, he said, was a Russian naval base. Zelensky did not mention grain terminals as a target of the attack.
On social media, he said that "the occupation fleet and all associated infrastructure will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues." Russia has not yet responded to this statement, according to the source.
The attack damaged two key grain export terminals in Novorossiysk, Russia's largest hub for such cargo on the Black Sea. One major trading company confirmed to Russian agency TASS that its terminal was hit, while another also confirmed this to Reuters and Russian agency RBK.
Following the attack, Russia's Ministry of Agriculture announced that it is working on diverting cargo flows to ports on the Baltic and Caspian Seas, by water and land routes. The ministry did not explicitly mention the Ukrainian attacks but stated that it is "taking into account current logistical constraints."
Russia attacked the area around Izmail on Wednesday, Ukraine's largest port on the Danube, which Ukraine uses intensively for trade in grain and other raw materials. Regional authorities reported fires and material damage.
The same day, Romanian defense detected on radar a flying object, possibly a Russian attack drone, entering Romanian airspace. The object remained there for about ten minutes before continuing toward Ukraine. Romania's Defense Ministry sent two fighter jets into the air. Romania is a NATO and EU member.
Russia announced that it shot down 362 Ukrainian drones in various regions overnight into Wednesday. The attack on Novorossiysk is part of a broader escalation of the conflict in the Black Sea this summer, following a period of relative calm.
Most of Russia's Black Sea Fleet is now stationed in Novorossiysk, one of Russia's largest ports. Russia was earlier forced to abandon its base in Sevastopol on occupied Crimea because it became too vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks.
