Ukrainian drones struck the port of Ust-Luga in the Leningrad region on the night from Monday to Tuesday — one of Russia's largest oil export terminals on the Baltic. According to regional governor Alexander Drozdenko, Russian air defense reportedly shot down 56 unmanned aerial vehicles over the region — out of a total of nearly 390 drones that Russia, according to its own data, reported over its territory. Debris from one drone caused a fire in the port area. US News ↗
According to available information and footage shared on social media, a Novatek gas condensate processing complex may have been hit. The plant, with an annual capacity of nine million tons, produces jet fuel, gas oil, and above all light naphtha fractions — a key raw material for the petrochemical industry, which Novatek exports to China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan in volumes of around 420,000 tons per month. Splash247 ↗
The port itself, however, is far more than just one plant. According to Reuters, around 700,000 barrels of oil flow through Ust-Luga daily. Just two days before the attack, fuel tanks were hit by drones in nearby Primorsk — a Transneft oil terminal with an even greater capacity. Both ports suspended loading on Sunday. Ust-Luga resumed exports on Monday, while Primorsk remained closed. The overnight attack complicated the situation once again. Maritime Executive ↗ The Moscow Times ↗ UNN/Reuters ↗
Attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in the rear have been escalating in recent weeks. Ukraine is increasingly targeting oil refineries, ports, and export terminals in order to weaken Russian revenue from fuel sales. The double strike on the Baltic ports confirms this trend.
The impact also extends beyond the region. Distillate and naphtha prices in Asia have risen, as Russian supplies of gas condensate to China and Southeast Asia are under threat. The disruption comes at a time of tension in the Strait of Hormuz, which is increasing pressure on global energy markets. Bloomberg ↗
Governor Drozdenko stated that no casualties were reported in the attack. The extent of the damage to facilities at the port cannot yet be independently verified — the information comes from Russian sources and videos shared on social media.
Ust-Luga in Flames: Drones Strike Key Russian Oil Port on the Baltic
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