In a statement released on Wednesday, the Russian Defence Ministry announced that it had thwarted an attack by two unmanned Ukrainian drone boats carrying explosives on the port city of Novorossiysk.
The Defence Ministry reported that the boats were destroyed in the sea, but did not mention any potential damage.
Local media reported explosions in the area, and authorities in Novorossiysk called on residents to remain indoors during the night as streets in the coastal part of the city were closed and sirens sounded. The Russian Defence Ministry also reported repelled drone attacks on the Moscow region as well as the Belgorod and Bryansk regions on the border with Ukraine.
Novorossiysk, located on the Black Sea, is a large port where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has stationed many of its warships for use against Ukraine. The city was attacked by Ukraine several times in May, with 44 drones shot down and 30 buildings damaged on May 17 alone.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. While Ukraine initially focused on pushing back Russian troops on its territory, it has since begun to attack targets in the Russian hinterland to disrupt military supplies. However, civilians have also been repeatedly impacted by the attacks, with the consequences on the Russian side of the border relatively small compared to the high number of victims and massive destruction caused by continuous Russian attacks on Ukraine.
