Seventh drone assault sets Russia's Ust-Luga oil port ablaze

Ust-Luga Port Comes Under Fire

According to ХВИЛЯ: Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed that a fire had broken out at Ust-Luga after drones struck the Novatek and Eurochem terminals. The attack is the seventh on the Russian oil export hub in the past six months. Emergency teams were already at the scene battling the flames.

The drones had traveled 890 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, with the alarm raised around 03:00. Over Leningrad Oblast, 51 aircraft were reportedly shot down. Drozdenko officially reported the blaze at 06:21, and the drone threat alert lasted only a further 27 minutes.

Why Ust-Luga Matters

Ust-Luga is Russia's busiest Baltic seaport in terms of cargo turnover and serves as the endpoint of the Baltic Pipeline System-II. The port lies in Luga Bay of the Gulf of Finland, about 110 km from St. Petersburg. The first major strike on Ust-Luga took place on the night of March 25, followed by another two days later that destroyed at least one oil berth and damaged another.

That same night, explosions were reported near the Balaklava thermal power plant in Crimea, where Sevastopol also experienced a blackout. In occupied Yenakiieve in Donetsk Oblast, a fire broke out at the Galaktika shopping mall. The affected facilities in this wave included:

• Novatek and Eurochem terminals in Ust-Luga
• Balaklava thermal power plant in Crimea
• Galaktika shopping center in Yenakiieve

The continuing attacks on Ust-Luga reflect growing instability around strategically important infrastructure. They may disrupt Russian oil exports and affect the economy, and given the port's role, Moscow could strengthen protections for critical facilities. Ukraine's ability to hit targets that far inside Russian territory marks a significant development in the conflict.