(Reuters) -Russian social media users reported hearing explosions and gunfire near the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk on Friday morning, which could indicate the first Ukrainian attack on one of Russia’s main commercial ports.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium which loads oil onto tankers in Novorossiysk said the port has temporarily barred all ship movement. It said its facilities had not been damaged and oil loadings continued onto tankers which were already moored
Videos posted on a local online community and circulated by Russian online news outlet Astra showed the movement of ships just off the coast with the sound of gunfire coming from the direction of the sea.
The emergency services of Novorossiysk have confirmed reports of blasts and security services have been informed, Russia’s RIA news agency reported. The port is one of the biggest in the Black Sea.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium is the main exporter of Kazakh crude.
Clashes in the Black Sea and adjacent ports have escalated since Russia refused last month to extend a deal allowing for the safe exports of grain from Ukrainian ports; Russian drones and missiles have struck several Ukrainian port facilities and grain silos on or near the Black Sea.
Russia has also reported an attack by Ukrainian sea drones on its warships which were escorting a civilian vessel.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Tom Hogue and Kim Coghill)
