Ukraine says it has targeted the Russian fleet’s “last major stronghold” in the Black Sea.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said overnight Ukrainian strikes on the port city of Novorossiysk were a “unique operation.”
T-84 Tank from Ukraine War. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Australia is sending 49 of its retired M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, a move that bolsters Kyiv’s armored firepower but raises significant questions about survivability on the modern battlefield. While the donation is a welcome gesture, US officials have reportedly expressed private frustration, warning that Ukraine struggles to sustain the complex tanks and highlighting their vulnerability to cheap, top-attack FPV drones. The war in Ukraine has become a “drone war,” where even advanced main battle tanks are at constant risk. The effectiveness of these donated Abrams will ultimately depend on Ukraine’s ability to counter this pervasive threat.
Water Supplies Damaged
The hit has left the city reeling, with key water pipelines supplying it damaged.
JSC ATEK, the regional utility supplier, told residents on Wednesday morning that water supplies were suspended.
Operations at grain terminals in the city, two of Russia’s largest, have also been impacted, with damage assessments still underway.
At least two people were killed, including a child, and eight others were injured, the Krasnodar region’s governor said.
He also said six residential buildings in the city had been damaged by drone debris.
Zelensky said the attack had targeted “the last major stronghold of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea,” located over 300 kilometers from the front line.
Sharing footage of the attack to social media, he wrote, “the occupying fleet and all the infrastructure that supports it will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues.”
Separately, the pro-Ukrainian “Exilenova+” project, a 141-meter-long vessel, sank off the coast of Novorossiysk on August 7, although Russian authorities are yet to comment on the matter.
Repeated Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s Crimean bases have forced it to relocate much of its Black Sea fleet to around Novorossiysk.
Agricultural Attacks Grow
Unmanned Palianytsia jet-powered and sea drones, along with Ukrainian Neptune missiles, were used to hit air defense systems, piers and port infrastructure.
Sea Baby Drone Ukraine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Russia and Ukraine are currently ramping up attacks on agricultural export infrastructure.
Both countries are major exporters of key commodities, currently accounting for almost one-quarter of global wheat, maize and barley exports combined — down from around 34% prior to Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
So far this month, Ukraine has exported just 280,000 metric tons of grain, a 76% drop compared to the period 1 to 15 August in 2025.
Ukraine has also been conducting attacks on Russian fuel infrastructure, repeatedly hitting oil refineries. Such attacks are putting some strain on the Russian economy and making the conflict more visible to ordinary Russians.
In Zaporizhzhia, a 10,000 square meter blaze was caused by a Russian drone attack, first responders said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia will “respond in kind” if European countries seize Russian merchant vessels, according to its state media.
He said such actions to curb the transport of sanctioned Russian fuel would amount to piracy.
Putin’s Wily Prisoner Release
He has also signed off on the release of U.S. Marine veteran Robert Gilman, who is reportedly seriously ill. The White House said on Tuesday: “We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place.”
The Guardian noted that the move likely signaled Moscow’s intent to improve relations with the Trump administration following weeks of warming attitudes towards Ukraine and a general view that Russia was now on the defensive against increasingly capable Ukrainian attacks.
Kyiv’s New Peace Offer
The conflict has been raging for more than four years, with no peace deal in sight.
Months of U.S.-brokered peace talks fizzled after President Donald Trump’s focus shifted to the war on Iran.
During the talks, Russia demanded that Ukraine cede its entire eastern regions to Russia, including highly fortified territories Moscow’s forces failed to seize.
Trump’s relations with Zelenskyy seem to have improved following a meeting in Washington last month, and Kyiv submitted fresh peace proposals to American negotiators this week.
“We passed our proposals to the American side,” he said during his regular nightly address on Tuesday.
“America can help strengthen our defense, first and foremost through air defense, and it can put pressure on Russia so that its plans change – from prolonging the war to preparing to end it,” he went on.
It is a marked difference from Trump’s high-profile summit with Putin in Alaska last year, not to mention the televised Oval Office row with Zelenskyy.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
