Reports: Ukrainian drones strike Russian frigate Admiral Essen in Novorossiysk again

What happened

Ukrainska Pravda reports that Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck the Russian frigate Admiral Essen in the port of Novorossiysk during the night of 22-23 May using drones. The attack was confirmed by Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, on Facebook. Brovdi also said Ukrainian forces hit a Project 1239 missile hovercraft during the operation, but neither the extent of damage nor the operational impact on the ships is known.

The central claim remains unconfirmed in the supplied material and should be treated as hearsay until corroborated by another reliable source or a named official. The Admiral Essen is a Project 11356R Burevestnik-class frigate that serves in Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, equipped with cruise missiles, surface-to-air missile systems, and naval guns. It has been previously targeted by Ukrainian forces earlier in March 2026 and has been involved in missile strikes in Syria and Ukraine previously.

The attack reportedly coincided with a strike on the Grushovaya Balka oil storage facility near Novorossiysk, which stores around 1.2 million tonnes of petroleum products and is the largest in the Caucasus region. The source attributes these details to Ukraine’s 414th Separate Brigade, known as "Magyar's Birds," operating under the Unmanned Systems Forces.

Known from the source

• Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces claim to have launched drone attacks on the Russian frigate Admiral Essen and a Project 1239 missile ship in Novorossiysk on 22-23 May 2026.
• Robert 'Magyar' Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, posted on Facebook about the attack.
• The Admiral Essen is a Project 11356R Burevestnik-class frigate active in Russia's Black Sea Fleet since 2014.
• The Unmanned Systems Forces also targeted the Grushovaya Balka oil storage facility in the same raid.
• The extent of damage from the attacks is not confirmed in the supplied material.

What remains unclear

While Ukrainian sources celebrate the strike and stress the symbolic targeting of Russian naval and logistical assets in Novorossiysk, independent confirmation of damage levels or Russian statements regarding the attack are absent from the supplied material. The information currently relies on Ukrainian military social media and local Ukrainian media.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Independent confirmation of actual damage or operational impact on Admiral Essen, Project 1239 missile ship, or oil storage facility. Any Russian official statements or independent third-party verification of the reported strikes. Verification of the presence and activity of the Ukrainian 'Magyar's Birds' unit in the operation.

Evidence note

This story contains report-led claims. The article keeps those claims attributed and treats them as unconfirmed/hearsay unless independently corroborated.

Original source: Ukrainska Pravda English. Open the source.