Sea Drone Attack Cripples Major Russian Oil Terminal Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine, which offered no comment on the incident, has been working to counter its neighbor amid ongoing hostilities.

One of Russia's major oil terminals suspended operations on Saturday after sea drones attacked the facility, just hours before Ukrainian negotiators were scheduled to travel to the United States for peace discussions.

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which includes American oil giants Chevron and ExxonMobil among its owners, described the attack as an act of terrorism.

Without commenting on the incident, Ukraine has been seeking ways to retaliate against its neighbor as the conflict enters its fourth year.

The strike occurred as Russian forces launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine, resulting in three fatalities and damage to buildings throughout Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

"Following a targeted terrorist attack by unmanned boats at 4:06 am Moscow time (0106 GMT), single Mooring Point 2 (SMP-2) experienced significant damage," CPC stated on Telegram.

"SMP-2 cannot continue operations. Terminal loadings will resume according to established protocols once drone threats are eliminated," the statement continued.

The CPC pipeline, which stretches from Kazakhstan to the terminal, represents a vital conduit for Kazakh oil and ranks among the world's largest by volume, handling approximately one percent of global oil supplies.

The United States has developed a proposal to end the conflict and is working to secure approval from both Moscow and Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that a delegation was en route to the United States to review the plan, though these discussions come at a challenging time for his administration.

Russia has been gaining territory along the front line for over a year, while Zelensky's government faces pressure following a major corruption investigation that forced him to dismiss his influential chief of staff on Friday.

AFP journalists in Kyiv reported a night filled with powerful explosions that kept many residents awake.

The following morning, reporters observed burned vehicles and fire-damaged apartment buildings.

The attacks left more than 600,000 consumers across the country without electricity, including 500,000 in Kyiv, according to the energy ministry.

Russia, which denies targeting civilians, claims it struck energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine's military-industrial complex.

Ukraine maintains that Russia's attacks represent a calculated strategy to exhaust its civilian population.

"Energy infrastructure and civilian facilities were the primary targets of the attack, resulting in extensive damage and fires in residential buildings," Zelensky posted on X.

"Current reports indicate dozens injured and three fatalities."

Galyna Bondarenko, a Ukrainian media worker, told AFP in Kyiv that the explosion sent debris into her home.

"A piece of debris landed next to the bed, hitting it and becoming lodged there," she recounted.

Another resident, 43-year-old Natalia Shkoda, described how the attacks set her and her husband's cars ablaze.

"We heard an extremely loud explosion... My husband said: 'It might have hit our car.' When I went outside, I saw it burning."

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian source claimed responsibility for attacks on two oil tankers in the Black Sea allegedly involved in covertly transporting sanctioned Russian oil.

The vessels, named Virat and Kairos, experienced explosions off Turkey's coast late Friday, according to the Turkish transport ministry. One of the ships was struck again early Saturday, the ministry reported.

"Modernized Sea Baby naval drones successfully targeted the vessels," a source from Ukraine's SBU security service informed AFP.

The source shared footage purportedly showing sea drones approaching the two ships before causing explosions.

Russia launched its full-scale offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.

Kyiv and its European allies characterize the war, the largest and deadliest conflict on European soil since World War II, as an unprovoked and illegal territorial seizure that has triggered unprecedented violence and destruction.

Tens of thousands of civilians and military personnel have lost their lives since the conflict began, while millions of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes.