Ukraine blitz hits Russia’s Black Sea naval stronghold, 3 killed

Kyiv: Ukrainian missiles and drones struck Russia’s major Black Sea naval base at Novorossiysk overnight, killing three people and damaging port infrastructure, officials said on Wednesday.

Ukrainian President Volo­dymyr Zelenskyy described the assault on what he called the Russian fleet’s “last major stronghold” in the Black Sea as a “unique operation”. He said air defences, piers and other port infrastructure were hit.

Krasnodar Governor Veni­amin Kondratyev said three people, including an eight-year-old child, were killed and 24 wounded. Dozens of residential buildings were damaged.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences downed more than 500 Ukrainian drones. Meanwhile, Russia launched 138 long-range drones at Ukraine overnight. Two people were killed and two wounded in the southern Kherson region, while a shopping mall was destroyed in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian authorities said. —AP

Putin warns of ship seizures 

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned that Moscow could seize European vessels in retaliation for seizures of Russian ships suspected of belonging to its “shadow fleet”. “This is nothing short of piracy and banditry. And if this is actually put into practice, we will be forced to respond in kind,” Putin said. His warning came as European countries move against vessels carrying Russian oil under sanctions targeting Moscow’s revenues.