Ukraine strikes Russian Black Sea port and grain terminals as Zelenskyy urges US for more Patriot missiles

Aug 13, 2026

Ukraine launched a massive overnight drone and missile strike on Russia's Black Sea naval base and grain terminals in Novorossiysk, killing three people and damaging key export infrastructure. The attack disrupted Russian grain shipments and triggered warnings of global food price spikes. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the United States to sell Ukraine at least 5% of its Patriot interceptor stockpile to survive the winter, warning that Kyiv currently holds only 1% of the required defenses to counter surging Russian ballistic missile attacks.

Novorossiysk naval base strike

▪The overnight Ukrainian attack on the Krasnodar region killed three people, including an eight-year-old child, and injured 24 others, according to Governor Veniamin Kondratyev.
▪Ukrainian anti-ship missiles, jet-powered aerial drones, and sea drones targeted the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk in an overnight operation on August 11-12, 2026.
▪Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Novorossiysk strike hit Russian air defenses, piers, and warships, including the frigates Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov.

Russian grain terminal damage

▪Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of striking agricultural infrastructure to provoke chaos and drive up global food prices.
▪The Ukrainian strike on Novorossiysk damaged two of the port's three grain terminals, forcing one of them to halt operations.
▪Two Russian grain trading companies confirmed their terminals suffered damage, prompting Russia's Agriculture Ministry to plan cargo redirections to Baltic and Caspian ports.

Ukraine grain export disruption

▪Low water levels on the Danube River have restricted Ukraine's alternative grain export capacity through Romania to the port of Constanța.
▪A Russian naval blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports caused Ukrainian grain exports to fall 76% year-on-year in early August 2026.
▪A Russian missile strike on a corn carrier leaving Odesa in late July 2026 killed 10 crew members, causing shipowners to refuse to sail Ukrainian routes.

Patriot interceptor missile shortage

▪A White House official stated that discussions regarding defense industrial cooperation with Ukraine are in an exploratory phase with no guaranteed initiatives.
▪Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has only 1% of the U.S. Patriot interceptor missile stockpile and needs at least 5% to survive the winter.
▪Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CNN that a 10% share of the U.S. Patriot stockpile would allow Ukraine to destroy all incoming Russian ballistic missiles.

Russian mobilization plans

▪Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited intelligence reports indicating that Russian President Vladimir Putin plans a rapid mobilization of several hundred thousand Russians by the end of 2026.
▪Russian lawmaker Andrei Gurulyov dismissed reports of an autumn mobilization, accusing Ukraine of spreading rumors to destabilize Russia.