Another Baltic Sea port in flames as Ukrainian drones strike major natural gas port in Ust-Luga
The Kyiv Independent • • world
Key Points:
- On March 25, Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on Russia’s Leningrad Oblast, targeting the energy terminal in the port town of Ust-Luga and causing major damage, including fires at oil storage tanks.
- Russian air defense systems reportedly shot down 56 drones in the region, with the defense ministry claiming a total of 389 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across 13 Russian regions and occupied Crimea.
- The strike, conducted nearly 900 kilometers from Ukraine’s northern border, targeted Novatek’s LNG facilities at Ust-Luga, a critical port for Russian petroleum exports, and involved multiple Ukrainian military and intelligence units.
- The attack disrupted air traffic, temporarily suspending operations at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, and followed a similar drone strike on March 22 that damaged a fuel tank at the Primorsk port, another key energy export hub.
- Ukrainian authorities have not officially commented on the attacks, while Russian regional officials confirmed no casualties and ongoing emergency response efforts.
