Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says a nighttime blitz damages Russia’s Black Sea naval stronghold

Key Points:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a "unique" nighttime operation involving anti-ship missiles and drones targeting the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk on the Black Sea coast, striking air defenses, piers, and port infrastructure.
• Hundreds of Ukrainian drones also attacked other locations in Russia's Krasnodar region, with Russian air defenses reportedly downing over 500 drones; the attack resulted in civilian casualties, including the death of an eight-year-old child and several injuries.
• Novorossiysk hosts a major international oil terminal linked to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which is significant for U.S. energy interests due to stakes held by Chevron and ExxonMobil in Kazakh oil fields.
• In response, Russia launched 138 long-range strike drones and missiles against Ukraine, causing damage at 16 sites, killing two people, wounding others in Kherson, and destroying a shopping mall in Zaporizhzhia.
• Ukrainian officials warn that despite battlefield challenges and U.S. diplomatic efforts, Russian President Vladimir Putin plans a rapid mobilization of several hundred thousand troops by the end of the year to continue the war.