'Explosions in Russian port of Novorossiysk, casualties reported'

Explosions were reported in the Russian port city of Novorossiysk and in Russian-occupied Crimea overnight, as Russian air defenses attempted to intercept an apparent drone attack. Residents in Novorossiysk described hearing repeated explosions, according to the Kyiv Independent.

Russian state media reported that debris from the drones struck six residential buildings, a commercial building, and a construction site in Novorossiysk. The reports indicated that there were casualties, though the number has not yet been disclosed.

Novorossiysk serves as a significant Russian port on the Black Sea and hosts a naval base crucial to Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Following a series of Ukrainian attacks on Russian warships and naval infrastructure in Crimea, Russia has relocated a substantial portion of its fleet from the peninsula to Novorossiysk.

Additional explosions were also reported across occupied Crimea, with detonations heard near the Balaklava thermal power plant, close to Sevastopol.