Russia suspends crude oil exports from Sheskharis terminal following massive Ukrainian drone and missile strike on Novorossiysk
Russia has suspended exports of crude oil from the Sheskharis terminal at the port of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea. The decision follows a large-scale Ukrainian drone and missile attack on August 12, which damaged port infrastructure and hit the last major Russian naval base on the Black Sea. The strike, described by Volodymyr Zelensky as a "unique operation" involving jet-powered drones, anti-ship cruise missiles, and naval drones, resulted in three people, including an eight-year-old boy, allegedly killed by Russian forces. The Sheskharis terminal, Russia's main oil export facility in the Black Sea, processes approximately 700,000 barrels per day. The attack also damaged two major grain export terminals, leading the Russian agriculture ministry to begin redirecting cargo flows to the Baltic and Caspian Seas. While Moscow rejected a truce offer from Kyiv to prevent a global food crisis, Maria Zakaharova stated that reviving the 2022-2023 Black Sea grain initiative would be "ill-advised." The Russian government continues to strike facilities to destabilize navigation until security threats are fully eliminated.
Sources
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Russia shuts down key Black Sea export terminal in Novorossiysk after drone attack, Reuters reports
The Kyiv Independent
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Russian Strikes on Dozens of Grain Ships Threaten Global Food Supplies
The New York Times
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Major Russian grain export terminals hit in Ukraine Black Sea port attack
BBC
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Russia's Black Sea's Sheskharis terminal halts loadings after drone attack, sources say
Reuters
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Satellite images show key port attack as Russia-Ukraine strikes threaten global food supply
NBC News