Key keywords: Ukraine long-range drone raid, Novorossiysk port, Russian state fuel depot, Black Sea maritime security, Russian energy infrastructure, Ukrainian deep strike capability, Black Sea oil exports On October 12, 2024, the Ukrainian armed forces launched a coordinated long-range drone attack targeting two high-value Russian assets: the strategic Novorossiysk maritime hub in Krasnodar Krai and a large state-owned fuel depot located 30 kilometers inland from the port, marking one of the deepest Ukrainian strikes into Russian territory since the full-scale invasion began. As Russia’s primary year-round ice-free port on the Black Sea, Novorossiysk handles nearly 30% of the country’s seaborne oil exports, serves as a key logistical node for Russian military supplies shipped to frontline positions in southern Ukraine, and is a core terminal for Russian grain and industrial goods exports to global markets. It has long been listed as a high-priority target for Ukrainian military planners, as disrupting operations at the port can directly undermine Russia’s ability to sustain its military campaign and generate revenue from energy and commodity exports. Multiple open-source reports and local witness accounts confirm that at least 12 modified long-range combat drones were deployed in the raid, most of which evaded Russian air defense systems by flying at low altitude over the Black Sea before diverting inland. The fuel depot, which stores an estimated 100,000 tons of diesel and aviation fuel used by the Russian military, suffered multiple direct hits, triggering a large fire that burned for over 6 hours before emergency responders contained it. Russian official statements confirmed that 4 storage tanks were completely destroyed, and 3 workers suffered minor injuries, though independent analysts estimate the actual damage to be far more extensive, with up to 30% of the depot’s total storage capacity rendered unusable. At the Novorossiysk port, drone strikes targeted a maritime cargo terminal used primarily for loading military equipment and oil products, damaging two crane systems and a berth used by Russian naval auxiliary ships, forcing port authorities to suspend all oil export operations for 12 hours as a security precaution. The temporary suspension of oil exports from Novorossiysk led to a 1.2% rise in global Brent crude prices in overnight trading, as traders priced in potential long-term disruptions to Russian energy supplies. Ukrainian military officials confirmed the strike in a statement, noting that it was conducted in retaliation for repeated Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and civilian port facilities along the Danube and Black Sea coasts. Russian authorities have vowed to launch “retaliatory strikes of equal severity” against Ukrainian military and critical infrastructure targets, while the United Nations has expressed concern that the escalation of attacks on Black Sea maritime infrastructure could threaten global food and energy security.