Mushroom Cloud Over Novorossiysk Port After Ukrainian Attack (Video)

(NOVOROSSIYSK, KRASNODAR REGION) – Massive explosions and a large mushroom cloud were seen rising over Russia’s Novorossiysk port after Ukraine carried out two separate long range strikes using its Flamingo and long range Neptune missiles. The attacks triggered fires at oil and ammunition storage sites while Russian forces continued heavy bombardments across Ukraine.

Footage shared online showed flames and dark smoke spreading across parts of the port. Novorossiysk, located on the eastern side of the Black Sea, now hosts the remaining units of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet following their forced withdrawal from Sevastopol in occupied Crimea.

Ukraine said the strike was a joint operation involving the SBU intelligence service, the GUR military intelligence directorate, special operations units and border guards. Early reports suggested that fuel pipelines, pumping stations, oil storage sites and port berths were hit. There were also unconfirmed claims that an ammunition depot had caught fire. Military sources noted that an S300 or S400 air defence battery may have been targeted.

The situation was continuing to develop with further details expected.

The attack came shortly after Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that long range Neptune missiles had been fired at Russian territory. He also said Ukraine had increased production of these weapons. Ukrainian forces had earlier confirmed the use of Flamingo missiles, Bars missiles and Luti long range drones against targets in occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk, as well as sites inside Russia.

Russian authorities said that a suspected Flamingo missile was intercepted over the city of Orel, about 160 kilometres north east of Ukraine’s Chernihiv region.

Missile and Drone Ranges

Ukraine used an early version of the Neptune missile in 2022 to sink the Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Since then, Ukraine has widened its missile capabilities and added the Flamingo ground launched cruise missile. Ukrainian officials describe Flamingo as a national answer to the American Tomahawk, although not yet at the same level of capability.

Russia responded within hours by launching around 450 missiles and drones at targets across Ukraine. Videos from Kyiv showed explosions in the sky and several residential tower blocks on fire. Ukrainian forces said that Russia had used Iskander cruise missiles, Iskander ballistic missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and a Zircon missile. Officials said some were intercepted by Patriot air defence batteries.

The difference in targets was clear. Ukraine struck fuel and military storage sites at Novorossiysk while Russia’s response set homes ablaze across Ukrainian cities.

On the ground, Russian forces continued pushing forward in several sectors. The most notable advance was southwest of the contested city of Pokrovsk. Ukrainian defenders remained in pockets of the city despite earlier reports suggesting that the urban area had almost entirely fallen. The Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine appears to maintain positions in the north and north west of Pokrovsk, with geolocated footage showing Ukrainian attacks on Russian troops inside the fog covered city.

Poor weather reduced the effectiveness of Ukraine’s drone operations but also opened temporary opportunities for Russian manoeuvres. Ukrainian drone footage nonetheless continued to show strikes on Russian units inside the city.

Ukraine’s military intelligence service also warned that North Korea is preparing to send about 12,000 workers to Russia to support a major drone manufacturing plant. This follows earlier reports that around 15,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to support Russian forces in the Kursk region during Ukraine’s brief incursion into Russian territory.

Russian media, reviewed by foreign correspondents, reported that about 7,000 Russian transport and logistics companies are close to bankruptcy. One in four Russian companies is reportedly defaulting on debt repayments. These signs point to growing economic strain, worsened by Western sanctions and Ukraine’s long range strikes on oil and energy infrastructure.

Indicators of Russian Economic Pressure

Ukraine also faced internal challenges. A corruption investigation involving individuals linked to the president raised concerns about the handling of funds for energy system repairs and defence manufacturing. Firepoint, the company producing Flamingo drones, was named in allegations tied to a one hundred million US dollars money laundering scheme. Such cases threaten public trust and risk undermining support from Ukraine’s allies.

Separately, social media footage showed a Ukrainian helicopter using an American made M134 rotating barrel minigun to shoot down an Iranian designed Shahed drone. The video highlighted that while Shahed drones are effective in large numbers, they remain slow and relatively simple targets when intercepted at close range.

Ukraine continued to face manpower shortages, and debates persisted about recruitment policies and the status of military aged men living abroad. Questions were also raised about whether foreign troops from NATO or non NATO states could support rear area tasks inside Ukraine, although such deployments remain politically sensitive.

The United Kingdom said it is increasing production of Storm Shadow missiles and investing one point five billion pounds (about one point nine billion US dollars) in ammunition factories