Ukraine strikes NEFRIT support vessel near CPC terminal in Sochi

September 3, 2026 at 08:03 PM2 min

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Ukraine's Navy struck the Russian-flagged multipurpose support vessel NEFRIT in Sochi port on September 3. The vessel had been used for engineering work at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's marine terminal, which handles over two-thirds of Kazakhstan's oil exports. The extent of damage and any impact on CPC operations remain unconfirmed.

Key Facts

Ukraine's Navy reported striking the Russian-flagged support vessel NEFRIT in Sochi port on September 3 with an unmanned marine drone.
NEFRIT participated in 2025 modernization work at CPC's marine terminal near Novorossiysk, including replacement of two mooring devices, VPU-1 and VPU-2.
The CPC system transported over two-thirds of Kazakhstan's oil exports via the 1,511-km Tengiz–Novorossiysk pipeline, with the terminal handling a record 70.52 million tonnes in 2025.
In November 2025, a marine drone caused significant damage to VPU-2, and in July 2026 tankers loading at the terminal were attacked, including ASIA and NELSA.

The Strike

Ukraine's Navy announced on September 3 that it had struck the Russian-flagged multipurpose support vessel NEFRIT in Sochi port using an unmanned marine drone. The Navy released video showing an explosion near the vessel followed by smoke. NEFRIT is described by Ukrainian military as a specialized vessel used for oil and gas operations, servicing offshore facilities, transporting cargo and personnel, and performing underwater technical work. The exact extent of damage was not independently confirmed at the time of publication, and CPC had not reported whether the incident affected its operations.

CPC Terminal Vulnerability

NEFRIT's connection to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium is confirmed by CPC's own materials, including its participation in 2025 modernization of the marine terminal near Novorossiysk. During installation of massive caisson anchors, NEFRIT worked with a barge, providing precise positioning and using a remotely operated underwater vehicle for subsea control. Built in 2004, NEFRIT is about 91 meters long with a deadweight of approximately 3,660 tonnes and a DP2 dynamic positioning system, plus a helicopter deck. The CPC system carries over two-thirds of Kazakhstan's exported oil through the 1,511-km Tengiz–Novorossiysk pipeline to the marine terminal, which set a record of 70.52 million tonnes and 587 tankers in 2025. The terminal has suffered several serious incidents: in November 2025 a marine drone heavily damaged VPU-2, and in July 2026 tankers ASIA and NELSA were attacked while loading.