Ukraine carried out a "unique" strike on Russia's Novorossiysk naval base overnight with drones, missiles, and unmanned boats, in another humiliation for Vladimir Putin. Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces were carrying out operations against a naval facility on the Black Sea.
Strike on Novorossiysk
According to Russian authorities, the drone strike targeting Novorossiysk between Tuesday and Wednesday resulted in the death of a child and left another child and a woman injured. The city's mayor, Andrei Kravchenko, claimed that the attack also caused damage to dozens of structures, including residential buildings. Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said eight people were injured in total across the Black Sea port city, which is located in Russia's Krasnodar region.
Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the strike on Wednesday but maintained that the operation was directed at the naval base in Novorossiysk, describing it as the Russian Navy's last significant stronghold in the Black Sea. He emphasized that the target was a military facility rather than civilian infrastructure.
Zelensky's statement
In a post on X, Zelensky said: "Last night, Ukraine’s Defense Forces carried out a unique operation targeting the naval base in Novorossiysk – the last major stronghold of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, more than 300 kilometers from the front line."
"Our Palianytsia jet-powered drones, Neptune missiles, and unmanned naval systems successfully struck the designated targets. Hits on air defense positions, piers, and seaport infrastructure have been confirmed."
"I thank the warriors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and our intelligence agencies for their accuracy and good results. The occupation fleet and all the infrastructure supporting it will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues. The war must be stopped, and all reasonable proposals for diplomacy are on the table. Glory to Ukraine!"
Diplomatic efforts
On Tuesday, Zelensky said that Kyiv had submitted a set of proposals to US representatives aimed at advancing efforts to end the conflict that erupted after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The move comes as Ukraine continues to seek diplomatic pathways toward peace.
Reports from Ukrainian officials cited by The Financial Times indicate that Kyiv has also agreed to suspend drone attacks targeting oil tankers operating from Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. The commitment reportedly followed a request made by US Vice President JD Vance late last month. Efforts to negotiate an end to the war have made little headway in recent months, with diplomatic momentum slowing significantly after the United States and Israel became involved in the conflict with Iran.
Despite the stalemate, Ukraine has consistently pushed for a ceasefire to halt the prolonged fighting. Russia, while maintaining that it is open to a negotiated settlement, insists that any agreement must include Ukraine relinquishing control of four regions claimed by Moscow and addressing what the Kremlin describes as the underlying causes of the conflict.
