Ukraine Strikes Novorossiysk Fleet, Mediterranean Tanker Ablaze Amid Rail Attacks

Ukrainian Strike Hits Russian Naval Assets in Novorossiysk

Ukrainian forces struck the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk on March 2, damaging three naval vessels and killing three sailors, according to a source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). Fourteen additional personnel were reportedly injured.

The SBU source said the operation was conducted in coordination with Ukraine’s Defense Forces. The minesweeper Valentin Pikul was hit, while two anti-submarine ships, the Yeysk and the Kasimov, sustained what the source described as severe damage. A fire at the port reportedly burned throughout the night.

In addition to naval vessels, the strike allegedly damaged six of seven oil-loading berths at the Sheskharis oil terminal, other port infrastructure, a 30N6E2 guidance radar associated with the S-300PMU-2 Favorit air defense system, and a Pantsir-S2 air defense missile system.

Novorossiysk has grown in strategic importance since repeated Ukrainian strikes on Russian-occupied Crimea reduced the operational capacity of facilities there. The port now serves as a principal logistics and basing hub for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Escalating Drone Attacks on Rail Infrastructure

Russian drone attacks targeted Ukrainian railway infrastructure and passenger trains on March 4, injuring at least one railway worker, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction Oleksii Kuleba reported. The strikes form part of what Ukrainian officials describe as an intensified campaign against rail assets since July 2025.

Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state railway operator, said that since the beginning of March, Russia has conducted 18 strikes on railway infrastructure, averaging six per day. The company stated it coordinates with the military to monitor airspace along rail routes and implements safety protocols when threats are detected, including rerouting trains and evacuating passengers.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, a drone struck an empty train undergoing maintenance, injuring one railway employee. In a separate incident in Odesa Oblast, a strike on railway infrastructure injured two children and another railway worker, according to Kuleba.

Russian LNG Tanker Fire in Mediterranean

A Russian-flagged liquefied natural gas tanker, the Arctic Metagaz, caught fire in the Mediterranean Sea, multiple media outlets reported on March 3. Reuters, citing maritime sources, said the vessel was ablaze near Malta, while other reports placed the incident closer to Libya’s coastline.

One source told Reuters that the fire may have resulted from a Ukrainian naval drone attack, though this has not been independently confirmed. Russian state media outlet TASS, citing the Russian Ministry of Transport, reported on March 4 that Ukrainian sea drones attacked the tanker.

The Arctic Metagaz is under sanctions from the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom. The vessel is suspected of operating within Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of tankers characterized by opaque ownership structures, flags of convenience, and irregular shipping practices used to transport Russian oil and gas despite Western restrictions.

Broader Military Developments

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the authorized strength of Russia’s regular armed forces to nearly 2.4 million personnel. The move marks another expansion of military manpower amid ongoing hostilities.

The reported strikes at sea, against rail infrastructure, and on energy-linked maritime assets underscore the widening geographic scope of the conflict, extending from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean while continuing to affect civilian and logistical networks within Ukraine.