Russia’s Black Sea oil hub resumes loading amid sustained Ukrainian drone campaign

Russia’s largest Black Sea oil export hub has partially resumed operations following a Ukrainian drone strike earlier this week that disrupted fuel loadings and triggered fires at key infrastructure, Reuters reports.

Ukraine’s strikes on Russia's oil facilities are part of a broader strategy to cut the revenue streams that fund Russia’s war. By targeting major export terminals and linked infrastructure, Kyiv aims to disrupt oil shipments, reduce foreign currency inflows, and increase the economic cost of continued aggression, while also complicating fuel supply chains that support Russian military operations.

One berth active, full recovery unclear

According to sources cited by Reuters, oil and fuel shipments restarted late on 9 April at the Sheskharis terminal in the port of Novorossiysk, citing sources familiar with port operations.

Loading has so far resumed from only one berth, with a single 80,000-ton cargo expected to depart. Overall operations remain reduced, and it is unclear when full capacity will be restored.

The Sheskharis terminal, which can handle up to 700,000 barrels of crude per day, suspended loadings on 7 April after a Ukrainian drone attack sparked fires at a fuel facility and damaged berths.

Fuel oil shipments have also resumed, and at least one diesel cargo was loaded during the disruption, according to Reuters sources.

Strike that halted operations

The disruption followed a confirmed Ukrainian strike on the Sheskharis complex on the night of 5–6 April, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Open-source analysts identified multiple impact points, including both main loading berths and critical pipeline control infrastructure, which temporarily halted export operations.

The terminal is a key node in Russia’s oil export system. Ukrainian officials say it handles up to 20% of the country’s seaborne crude shipments, with monthly volumes of 3.5–4.5 million tonnes.

Pressure on export routes

The partial restart comes amid continued Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure linked to Novorossiysk.

On 9 April, Ukrainian forces also hit the Krymskaya oil-pumping station in Krasnodar Krai – a facility that feeds crude into pipeline routes supplying the port – triggering a fire, according to Ukrainian reports.

The strikes highlight a sustained campaign targeting Russia’s oil logistics chain, from inland pipeline nodes to major export terminals.

Kyiv says the strategy aims to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military and reduce export revenues that help finance the war.