Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) struck the Russian frigate Admiral Makarov, a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles, in the port of Novorossiysk – where the remnants of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet are now based – early Monday, April 6, according to USF Commander Robert Brovdy.
“USF drones struck the frigate Admiral Makarov in the port of Novorossiysk and delivered effective fire on the Syvash drilling rig,” Brovdy said on Telegram.
He revealed that the frigate launched air-defense missiles during the attack, but they failed to stop the drones from hitting the vessel. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
According to Brovdy, the operation was carried out by the USF and coordinated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
He added that the Syvash self-elevating drilling platform in the Black Sea was also struck in a joint operation involving USF units and Ukrainian naval forces.
Initial reports from Brovdy mistakenly identified the target as the Admiral Grigorovich, but this was later corrected to the Admiral Makarov.
Open-source intelligence group CyberBoroshno had earlier suggested that the Admiral Grigorovich was not present in Novorossiysk, as it is believed to be operating in the Mediterranean. The group assessed that either the Admiral Makarov or Admiral Essen– both Project 11356 frigates – were the likely targets.
Drone footage released after the strike, lasting more than two minutes, appears to show the moment of impact on the frigate, as well as primary and secondary damage to the Syvash platform. Kyiv Post could not independently verify the time or location of the footage.
Ukraine’s long-range drone forces carried out a major overnight attack from Sunday to Monday on Russia’s largest crude-loading terminal on the Black Sea, located in the port of Novorossiysk. The strike sparked large fires visible on the horizon – and even from space – and reportedly forced a complete halt to oil export operations.
The primary target in Novorossiysk was the Sheskharis oil terminal, a key export hub for Urals, Siberian Light, and Kazakh crude. In peacetime, the port handled roughly 25-35% of Russia’s crude exports – around 3 to 3.2 million tons per month. Even during the war, it is estimated to account for about 20% of total exports.
The latest attack – reportedly involving more than 50 drones – appears to be Ukraine’s most ambitious and damaging strike on Novorossiysk’s oil infrastructure to date.
Previous confirmed attacks on the port occurred on Nov. 14 and 29, Feb. 7, and Mar. 1, according to Kyiv Post records.
On the evening of March 1, when drones had struck the port, local Telegram channels reported “dozens of powerful explosions” and a major fire at the oil terminal. There were also claims that the attack involved unmanned surface vessels approaching from the sea.
The following day, Kyiv Post – citing sources in Ukraine’s SBU – reported that drones operated by the Alpha Special Operations Center, together with other Defense Forces units, had targeted military and oil infrastructure in the port. The source said warships were hit but did not specify which vessels or the extent of the damage.
Unverified reports on Russian Telegram channels later claimed that several warships were damaged. The channel “Spy Dossier” alleged that at least 200 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were used in the early hours of March 2, damaging five ships, including the minesweeper Valentin Pikul, and possibly the Yeysk and Kasimov.
Separately, speculation emerged that an Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate had been destroyed. However, Ukrainian OSINT Telegram channel Exilenova+ dismissed the claim, noting that the Admiral Grigorovich had not been seen in Novorossiysk for some time.
The channel instead identified the Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen in the port based on satellite imagery.
Ukraine’s General Staff stated on March 3 that a Russian ship had been destroyed but provided no further details. Several media outlets linked the claim to the Novorossiysk strike.
Notably, the source within the SBU told Kyiv Post on March 5 that the Russian frigate Admiral Essen, a carrier of eight Kalibr cruise missiles, was hit during a drone attack on the port of Novorossiysk in the eraly hours of March 2.
“The strike hit the ship’s central superstructure,” the source said, adding that the attack triggered explosions of onboard countermeasure systems and damaged key electronic warfare equipment.
According to the source, target illumination radars and the main surveillance radar were likely hit, while the operation breached Russia’s layered air defenses around Novorossiysk Bay. A fire on deck reportedly lasted about 18 hours, indicating significant internal damage.
“The ship sustained critical damage, significantly limiting its ability to use Kalibr cruise missiles. The frigate cannot currently strike Ukrainian territory,” the source said.