- Ukraine launched a major drone and missile attack on Novorossiysk, a Russian Black Sea naval and export hub.
- Grain facilities were damaged, while Ukraine said several Russian warships were struck.
- Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter, and heightened Black Sea shipping risks are adding pressure to grain markets.
This handout satellite image taken and released by Vantor on August 12, 2026, shows heavily damaged ships at the Black Sea port naval base of Novorossiysk in Russia, following Ukrainian strikes.
– | Afp | Getty Images
Ukraine has launched a heavy drone assault on warships and major Russian grain export terminals in the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk, prompting Russia to warn of a disruption to global food supplies
Regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said that three people were killed in the attack, including an eight-year-old, while another 24 were injured
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyydescribed the operation against Novorossiysk as a success, saying on Wednesday that Kyiv launched a unique mix of long-range drones and weapons to target Russian fleet vessels in the bay area of the city
Zelenskyy, who did not mention grain terminals, said Russia’s Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov frigates, a large landing ship, a corvette, and other vessels were struck in the attack
“Other Russian facilities that were helping finance the war were also struck. It is entirely fair that Ukraine responds to Russia’s war, and it is Russia that can and must end its war,” Zelenskyy said
Two Russian grain trading companies said they had suffered damage from Ukraine’s attack, according to multiple media reports. Russia’s Agriculture Ministry said Wednesday that it was seeking to redirect cargo flows to ports in the Baltic and Caspian Seas as well as land routes
Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, and Ukraine, also a major agricultural exporter, have been attacking each other’s export facilities and infrastructure in the Black Sea area in recent weeks, sending global wheat prices higher
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of seeking to “provoke chaos” on the global food market, saying this serves the interest of several Western countries, without providing further details
This “exacerbates shortages of grain and fertilizers, drives up global food prices and increases the costs for countries in the Global South and East, which have become hostages to the irresponsible policies of these ‘players,'” Zakharova said
A view of a grain field during the early harvest season in the Rostov region, southern Russia, on July 14, 2026.
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Agricultural consultancy SovEcon said earlier in the week that Russia appeared to be on track to export between 3 million and 3.4 million metric tons of wheat this month, far below the five-year August average of 5 million tons
It said this could represent the lowest August total since the 2016-2017 agricultural season, noting that it follows a weak July
Russian forces have ramped up the number of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, likely seeking to exploit Kyiv’s shortage of ballistic missile interceptors
