On November 18, it became known about an explosion at an oil terminal in the port of Novorossiysk in the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation. Next to the oil terminal is a large base of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia.
In the intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, it is noted that the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation has relocated many of its submarines to Novorossiysk.
Russia resorted to such a maneuver after Ukraine struck a base in occupied Sevastopol in the summer. Now, after the explosion in the port, the Russian command will probably be concerned about possible threats to the flotilla of amphibious ships based in Novorossiysk.
These vessels are vulnerable without an escort and began to play a more important role in supplying Russian forces in Ukraine after the damage to the Kerch Bridge. The British Ministry of Defense emphasizes that all the details of the incident in Novorossiysk are not yet available, but any demonstration of Ukraine’s ability to threaten Russian bases and infrastructure there will likely become another strategic challenge for the Black Sea Fleet. It would also further undermine Russia’s already small naval influence in the Black Sea, British intelligence noted.
