The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in collaboration with various military and intelligence units, has conducted a drone operation targeting the oil terminal infrastructure at the port of Ust-Luga in Russia’s Leningrad region. This port is a significant maritime facility on the Baltic Sea, facilitating the export of crude oil and petroleum products, including through the use of shadow fleets.
According to a statement from the SBU press center, the operation serves as a symbolic gesture coinciding with the anniversary of the SBU, emphasizing that no region in Russia is now considered secure. Acting SBU head, Major General Yevhenii Khmara, indicated that such operations aim to systematically diminish the military and economic capabilities of the adversary.
Utilizing long-range drones from the Special Operations Center ‘Alpha’, the SBU reported that the drones traveled over 900 kilometers to strike oil loading stands and a storage facility containing oil and petroleum products. The governor of the Leningrad region has confirmed the occurrence of a large fire at the port following the attack.
The SBU noted that targeting facilities like Ust-Luga has both tactical and strategic implications, as it reduces foreign currency inflows into the Russian budget. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also reported that during this joint operation, Ukrainian defense forces targeted the NOVATEK-Ust-Luga plant in the same region.
Preliminary reports indicate damage to the storage facilities and loading stands for oil and petroleum products, with a fire confirmed at the site. This marks the second attack by the SBU on Russian oil exports in the Baltic within a week, following a drone strike on the Primorsk port on March 23, which is still experiencing fire incidents.
The SBU has executed a drone operation against the Ust-Luga oil terminal, a crucial site for Russian oil exports. This action underscores ongoing efforts to weaken Russia's economic resources amid the conflict.