Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea, causing damage and disrupting oil exports on Sunday.
Ukrainian Drone Attacks on Ust-Luga Port
Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea, resulting in a fire and damage to infrastructure, regional authorities reported.
Governor of Leningrad Oblast, Aleksandr Drozdenko, stated there were no casualties, and 36 drones were intercepted over the region.
Damage to Oil Infrastructure
The port of Ust-Luga, managed by Russian oil company Transneft, handles approximately 700,000 barrels of oil per day and processed around 33 million tons of crude in 2025.
Attacks damaged infrastructure, including a railway overpass used for unloading oil products.
Disrupted Oil Exports and Potential Economic Impact
Following the attacks, oil loading at the ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga was suspended on March 22nd. The terminal in Ust-Luga ceased accepting fuel on Wednesday.
The suspension of oil exports from Ust-Luga could force large refineries in the European part of Russia to reduce processing capacity.
Ukraine’s Strategy to Weaken Russia’s War Economy
Ukraine is targeting Russian oil export facilities and refineries in an effort to weaken Russia’s war economy.
Recent Attacks and Drone Capabilities
The ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga have been repeatedly attacked by drones in the past week. A fire broke out at a fuel tank in Primorsk following a previous attack on March 22nd.
Reports indicate Ukrainian drone technology has significantly impacted Russian oil export capacity.
