Moment Ukrainian kamikaze sea drone attack rocks Putin’s key naval base sparking huge fireball explosion

UKRAINE has unleashed a sea drone attack today on the key Russian port and naval base Novorossiysk. Dramatic footage shows a massive explosion in the harbour after Vladimir Putin’s forces deployed two warships to counter the strikes. Two drones hit the naval base Novorossiysk One of two Ukrainian marine drones was seen burning before dramatically exploding in the port which is a long distance, some 450 nautical miles, from the Kyiv-held waters where it was likely launched.  Elsewhere, there were loud explosions as Ukraine staged a nighttime attack on an oil depot in Feodosia, annexed Crimea. Ship movements in key port Novorossiysk – the second largest run Russia after St Petersburg – were halted amid the drone strikes and sound of gunfire. Two Russian naval vessels – landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak  and anti-sabotage boat Suvorovets – were deployed to shoot at the incoming surface drones. Olenegorsky Gornyak was reported to have sustained damage.  Locals reported seeing “a bright flash over the sea and explosions”. This was close to the facilities of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, a major international oil pipeline system which delivers oil from western Kazakhstan to Black Sea terminals at  Novorossiysk. Explosions were reported after midnight and also closer to dawn as Russian air defences worked.  The Russian defence ministry said its forces had repelled two drone strikes in Novorossiysk. It said in a statement: “Two unmanned sea boats attempted to attack the Novorossiysk naval base. “During the repulse of the attack, unmanned boats were visually detected and destroyed by fire from the standard weapons of Russian ships guarding the outer raid of the naval base.” Pro-war Russian channel Rybar said: “It is noteworthy that at the time of the raid and attempted strike on Novorossiysk, three reconnaissance UAVs of the US Air Force and NATO Air Force – RQ-4D Phoenix, two MQ-9A Reapers – and one R-8A aircraft were in the air in the southwest of the Black Sea”. Mayor Andrei Kravchenko said: “Today military units have worked effectively to protect our hero city.  “Our servicemen are technically provided with everything necessary to perform their tasks.  “All life support and logistics facilities are under reliable protection.” In Crimea, there Russians said they faced 13 drones and had shot down ten with three more disabled by electronic warfare jamming.  Footage showed an explosion at or near an oil depot in Feodosia.  Pro-Russian sources said this was “air defences shooting down enemy drones in the Crimean town of Feodosia”, but there was no independent confirmation. The Russian defence ministry said: “An attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack by aircraft-type UAVs on objects on the territory of the Crimean peninsula was thwarted.  “Ten drones were destroyed by air defence on duty. “Three more enemy drones were suppressed by means of electronic warfare.” More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online.Thesun.co.uk is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.