Explosions rock Russia's Novorossiysk after 'unique operation' targeting Black Sea Fleet, Zelensky says

Krasnodar Krai in southern Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea were targeted in a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack overnight on Aug. 12, with fires reported in several locations, monitoring channels said.

Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said Krasnodar Krai came under a massive attack involving "several hundred drones," with strikes reported in Novorossiysk, Anapa, Gelendzhik and Temryuksky district.

Residents in Novorossiysk reported repeated explosions as Russian air defenses attempted to repel an ongoing drone attack, according to independent monitoring channels.

Novorossiysk, a major Russian port on the Black Sea, is home to a naval base used by Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Russia has relocated much of the fleet from occupied Crimea to Novorossiysk following repeated Ukrainian attacks on Russian warships and naval infrastructure on the peninsula.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had carried out a "unique operation" targeting a naval base in Novorossiysk, more than 300 kilometers (185 miles) from the front line.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine used the Palianytsia jet-powered drones, Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles, and naval drones in the attack. Ukrainian forces struck Russian air-defense positions, piers and port infrastructure, the president added.

"The occupation fleet and all the infrastructure supporting it will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues," Zelensky said on X.

Ukraine's General Staff later said four Russian warships "suffered varying degrees of damage: two frigates of project 11356, Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen, a small missile ship of project 21631 Buyan-M, and a patrol ship of project 22160 Vasil Bykov."

An 8-year-old boy was killed in the attack on Novorossiysk, while eight people, including a child, were injured, Kondratyev said. The governor added that falling drone debris damaged 21 residential buildings and four businesses, but did not specify which businesses were affected.

Eyewitnesses reported fires raging across Novorossiysk, saying a grain terminal, the Sheskharis oil terminal and port infrastructure serving Russia's Black Sea Fleet were among the sites damaged, according to Exilenova Plus.

The grain terminal was damaged and temporarily suspended operations following the attack, Reuters reported later in the day.

Explosions were also reported across occupied Crimea. Several explosions were heard near the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant outside Sevastopol, according to the Crimean Wind monitoring channel, citing local residents.

In nearby Bakhchysarai, a resident cited by Crimean Wind said that "since midnight, there have been multiple explosions, machine-gun fire, and drones overhead."

The monitoring channel said a military unit in northern Crimea was also reportedly on fire following the attack.

Farther east, a large-scale drone attack was also reportedly underway near the Crimean Bridge, which connects the occupied peninsula with Russia's Krasnodar Krai.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the reports

Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the reported attacks.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses allegedly destroyed 502 Ukrainian drones overnight on Aug. 12 over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk and Oryol regions, Krasnodar Krai, Russian-occupied Crimea and the Black Sea.