Krasnodar Declares Emergency as Drone Strikes Disrupt Black Sea Grain Exports

Russia's southern Krasnodar region, a key agricultural producer, has declared a state of emergency following Ukrainian drone attacks that have disrupted grain exports, regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Wednesday.

The declaration allows affected parties to receive compensation. Kondratyev said "massive attacks" on logistics infrastructure had forced the suspension of port operations and caused disruptions to shipping in the Black Sea.

Agricultural producers in the region have been unable to sell much of their harvest, leading to an oversupply on the domestic grain market, he said.

Novorossiysk, a major port city in Krasnodar, is a frequent target of Ukrainian drone strikes and serves as a significant outlet for Russian oil, oil products and grain exports.

The region harvested 11.4 million metric tons of grain and pulses this year, nearly 2 million tons more than in 2025.

Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified attacks on each other's grain vessels in the Black Sea in recent months, pushing global prices higher.

The Kremlin said this week that further diplomatic contacts had taken place regarding a Turkish proposal for the safe passage of grain through the Black Sea, and that Russia was pursuing alternate routes for its grain exports in the meantime.

Turkey and the UN helped mediate the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2022 to allow safe exports of Ukrainian grain amid the war. Russia withdrew from the agreement the following year, citing obstacles to its own food and fertiliser exports.