Ukrainian forces destroyed 20 fuel tanks at Russia’s Temryuk Seaport in Krasnodar Krai during a drone strike on December 5, 2025, according to Ukraine’s General Staff. The strike eliminated 70% of the port’s total fuel storage capacity.
The Attack
The December 5 strike sparked a massive fire at the Temryuk Seaport, a facility on the Kerch Strait that handles various types of cargo, including liquefied natural gas used to supply the Russian military. The port is located in Krasnodar Krai, just east of occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian drones approached the facility and struck multiple fuel storage tanks, igniting a large-scale fire that Russian emergency services struggled to contain. The Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters confirmed the port sustained damage from the drone strikes.
The fire continues to burn at the liquefied gas loading rack, where approximately two dozen rail tanks are stationed. As of the evening of December 7—more than 48 hours after the initial strike—the fire had spread across nearly 1,000 square meters, according to the General Staff. Local Russian channels reported that the blaze remained uncontrolled, with flames visible from several kilometers away.
The Target’s Strategic Value
Temryuk Seaport serves as a critical logistics node for Russian military operations. The facility’s location on the Kerch Strait makes it a key transshipment point for fuel supplies destined for Russian forces operating in occupied Ukrainian territories and the Black Sea region.
The destruction of 70% of the port’s fuel storage capacity represents a significant blow to Russian logistics chains. With 20 of the port’s approximately 28-29 fuel tanks destroyed, the facility’s ability to support military operations has been severely degraded.
Additional Strikes on Occupied Territories
Ukrainian forces targeted multiple sites in Russian-occupied territories overnight on December 8, the General Staff reported:
Luhansk Oblast:
- An ammunition depot near Chmyrivka village
- A fuel and lubricants depot near Simeykine settlement
Donetsk Oblast:
- A drone depot in Donetsk city
- A mobile fire group in the region
- A Pantsir-S1 air defense system
The Pantsir-S1 is a Russian short-to-medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery system designed to defend against aircraft, helicopters, precision-guided munitions, and drones. Its destruction eliminates a key air defense asset protecting Russian positions.
The full extent of damage from these strikes is still being assessed, according to the General Staff, though reports indicate secondary explosions at the ammunition depot near Chmyrivka.
Ukraine’s Broader Energy Infrastructure Campaign
Ukraine has systematically targeted Russian oil and fuel facilities throughout the war, conducting hundreds of strikes against refineries, storage depots, and logistics hubs. The campaign aims to degrade Russia’s ability to sustain prolonged military operations by disrupting fuel supply chains.
Previous Ukrainian strikes have targeted facilities across Russia, from border regions to sites more than 1,500 kilometers inside Russian territory. These operations have forced Russia to divert air defense resources to protect energy infrastructure, while also creating economic pressure through reduced refining capacity and export disruptions.
The Temryuk strike continues this pattern of targeting logistics infrastructure that directly supports Russian military operations, particularly facilities used to supply forces in occupied territories and the Black Sea theater.
