Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said on 6 April that Ukrainian drones struck the Russian frigate Admiral Makarovduring a night operation against Novorossiysk, the Black Sea port that has become increasingly important to Russia’s fleet after repeated Ukrainian attacks on Crimea.

According to Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda, the claim was made by Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, who said the vessel was hit despite launching air-defence missiles during the attack.

The vessel identified by Brovdi is significant. The Admiral Makarov is one of Russia’s better-known Black Sea Fleet frigates and is associated with the fleet’s Kalibr cruise missile capability. The Kyiv Independent reported last month that Ukraine’s General Staff had already confirmed damage to both Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen in an earlier strike on Novorossiysk on 2 March, underlining the port’s growing vulnerability to Ukrainian long-range attacks.

Ukraine claims disabling strike on Kalibr-capable frigate in Novorossiysk

There was early confusion over the target’s identity. Initial Ukrainian reporting referred to the frigate Admiral Grigorovich, but that was later revised after open-source analysts noted that the ship is currently deployed in the Mediterranean. Ukrainska Pravda reported that Brovdi updated his original post accordingly, naming Admiral Makarov as the ship struck.

Ukrainian sources said the operation was carried out by the “Birds” unit of the 1st Centre of the Unmanned Systems Forces and planned and coordinated by the Security Service of Ukraine, the SBU. Brovdi also said Ukrainian forces struck the floating drilling platform Sivash in coordination with the Ukrainian Navy’s deep-strike elements. The degree of damage to the frigate remains under assessment.

Separate reporting indicated that the attack also affected energy infrastructure. The Kyiv Independent, citing Astra and other open-source reporting, said the Sheskharis oil terminal in Novorossiysk was struck during the same wave of attacks. The Moscow Times described the facility as the largest oil-loading terminal in southern Russia and a major outlet for seaborne crude exports.

Moscow had not, at the time of writing, publicly confirmed damage to the frigate. Russian regional authorities did acknowledge a drone attack on Novorossiysk, while independent reporting described fires and damage around the port area. If the Ukrainian account is confirmed, the strike would represent another example of Kyiv using unmanned systems not only against frontline targets but against Russia’s naval and logistical infrastructure deep in the rear.