Ukrainian drones hit warships and oil terminal in Russia's Novorossiysk – Ukrainska Pravda sources

Drones launched by the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and Ukraine's defence forces struck Russia's port of Novorossiysk on the night of 1-2 March, hitting naval vessels, air defence systems and oil infrastructure.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources in SSU

Quote: "Spring 'cotton' season is open… Drones launched by the SSU's Special Operations Centre Alpha, together with other units from the defence forces (the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces and Special Operations Forces), arranged a vivid 'cotton' spectacle at military and oil facilities at [Russia's] port of Novorossiysk which are involved in the war against Ukraine." [Russian propaganda, initially refusing to use the word 'vzryv' (explosion), used 'khlopok' (a bang) instead. However, 'khlopok' also means 'cotton', and this has since become a meme - ed.]

Details: The source said a major blaze has been burning at the port since the night.

Early reports indicate the drones hit:

• warships
• a 30N6E2 guidance radar belonging to an S-300PMU-2 Favorit system
• a Pantsir-S2 air defence missile and gun system
• six out of the seven oil loading arms at the Sheskharis oil terminal.

The source said Sheskharis is one of southern Russia's biggest oil and petroleum product transhipment terminals that supplies fuel to Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.

Background: A large-scale fire has broken out at an oil terminal in the Russian city of Novorossiysk following an attack by kamikaze drones on the night of 1-2 March.

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