Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga on Tuesday for the fifth time in ten days, hitting an oil terminal and intensifying pressure on Moscow’s crude exports. Industry sources said the attack damaged facilities operated by Transneft, Russia’s state pipeline monopoly, and disrupted operations at one of the country’s largest export hubs.
Kyiv has escalated strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure over the past month, targeting Ust-Luga and Primorsk with its heaviest drone assaults since the war began more than four years ago. Market data shows that at least 40 percent of Russia’s oil export capacity has gone offline due to repeated drone attacks, a contested pipeline strike, and tanker seizures.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that some allies had urged Kyiv to reconsider long-range strikes on Russia’s oil sector, citing concerns over rising global energy prices amid the Iran conflict.
Regional governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that three people, including two children, sustained injuries and several buildings suffered damage in the overnight raid. He lifted air-raid alerts early Tuesday but did not provide details on the port’s condition.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the strikes as “terrorist attacks” and said Russia continues to strengthen defenses around critical infrastructure. “These facilities cannot be fully shielded from such attacks, but intensive work is underway to protect ports and other vital sites,” he told reporters.
Ust-Luga, located on the Gulf of Finland, handles about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and exported nearly 33 million metric tons of oil products last year. Authorities confirmed that drones hit the port on March 22, 25, 27, 29, and 31, forcing repeated suspensions of export operations.
