Ukraine has carried out a major attack on Russia’s Novorossiysk naval base on the Black Sea, with Russian authorities reporting damage to at least four warships.
Russian officials said the attack killed three people, including a child, and injured 24 others. The intensity of the assault prompted authorities to declare a state of emergency in the port city.
Ukraine said the operation targeted several Russian naval vessels at the base, which lies more than 300 kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory. Local authorities reported casualties and damage following the attack.
Russia responded by claiming it had launched strikes against targets in and around the Ukrainian port of Odesa. Moscow said one of its attacks hit a Ukrainian cargo vessel carrying military equipment and that fuel facilities and other port infrastructure were also damaged. A shopping center in Odesa was reportedly hit as well.
The escalating attacks have also drawn a warning from Washington. U.S. officials urged Ukraine not to target civilian oil tankers in the Black Sea and cautioned against attacks on Novorossiysk’s oil-export infrastructure, citing concerns about disruptions to global energy markets.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if Western countries seize Russian commercial vessels, Moscow would consider such actions piracy and threatened a strong response.
