MOSCOW:
Ukrainian drone and missile attacks have once again struck at Russian economic and energy targets, highlighting the escalating campaign to weaken Moscow’s revenue streams from critical infrastructure.
On Monday, a fire broke out at the Sheskharis oil terminal in Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to two industry sources. The blaze reportedly engulfed the key pier of Transneft, Russia’s state oil pipeline monopoly.
Sources said the fire erupted near berths 1, 1a, and 2. Berth 1 can accommodate tankers with deadweight up to 250,000 metric tons, while berth 2 handles vessels of up to 90,000 tons. They added that the immediate impact on oil-loading operations remains unclear.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian strikes also disrupted coal mining operations in Russian-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine. All 41 miners trapped underground at the Bilorechenska coal mine in Luhansk were successfully evacuated after a Ukrainian strike damaged a power substation supplying the mine, Russian-installed regional head Leonid Pasechnik said.
Power was restored, and none of the miners sustained injuries, according to officials. Kyiv has not commented on either incident. These attacks form part of a broader Ukrainian strategy to target Russian energy and industrial assets, aiming to constrain Moscow’s revenue from oil exports while demonstrating operational reach into occupied territories.
Analysts note that such strikes, particularly on energy hubs like Novorossiysk, could have longer-term implications for shipping and fuel logistics in the Black Sea region.
The Sheskharis oil terminal, a critical node in Russia’s pipeline network, and the Bilorechenska coal mine illustrate the vulnerability of both strategic energy and industrial infrastructure as the conflict persists, underscoring the growing economic dimension of the war.
