Ukraine says its forces struck Russia’s Makhachkala port on the Caspian Sea and confirmed damage to three Russian warships in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in a series of long-range attacks.
Ukraine’s General Staff said the Makhachkala Sea Commercial Port in Russia’s Dagestan was hit overnight on 10 September, with a fire recorded at the site. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The Special Operations Forces (SSO) said Ukrainian units struck oil infrastructure at the port in a joint operation with other Defense Forces. The port’s oil terminal handles tankers with a capacity of up to 10,000 tonnes, while an oil depot is located nearby, according to the SSO.
Makhachkala is Russia’s only ice-free deepwater port on the Caspian Sea and operates year-round. The General Staff said it is an important link in the Russia-Iran logistics corridor, which Moscow uses to bypass Western sanctions.
According to the General Staff, the route is used to transport military-related cargo in both directions, including components and Shahed-type attack drones from Iran to Russia, and explosives, drone components, and ammunition from Russia to Iran. A base of Russia’s Caspian Flotilla is also located near the port.
The SSO said damaging the port’s oil infrastructure could reduce Russia’s ability to use the Caspian Sea to transport and transship energy resources.
Fire Point, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer, said Ukrainian forces used its FP-1 drones in the attack. The company said Makhachkala had been used as a transit point for Iranian attack drones delivered to Russia by sea before being moved onward for use against Ukraine.
Fire Point also said the port handled more than 2.9 million tonnes of cargo in the first eight months of 2026, including more than 2.08 million tonnes of oil.
Three Russian warships hit in Novorossiysk
Ukraine’s General Staff also said further analysis of data confirmed damage inflicted on three Russian warships in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk on 9 September, along with fuel-oil storage facilities at the port.
The General Staff identified the vessels as the small sea minesweeper Zheleznyakov, the frigate Admiral Essen, and the Project 11711 landing ship Pyotr Morgunov.
Visual analysis published by Exilenova+ reported strikes on another Russian warship, the Buyan-M-class corvette, as well as confirming strikes on the frigates Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov. The outlet said the Essen was hit in its superstructure and caught fire.
The Buyan-M class is capable of carrying Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles. Russia has used such ships to launch strikes against Ukraine.
The Ukrainian General Staff said operations against key Russian military targets are continuing.
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