Planet Labs photos confirm mass fire and smoke at key Russian Baltic oil export hub
Nation27 March, 02:10 PM
The images show a large-scale fire and heavy smoke.
Ukraine has not yet officially commented on the March 27 drone attacks, the publication clarified. Drones have been attacking Leningrad Oblast, where the port is located, for the third consecutive day.
Earlier drone attack on Leningrad Oblast took place overnight on March 25, with a fire reported at Ust-Luga port and local residents complaining about explosions and flashes in the sky.
Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) later confirmed the attack by long-range drones from the Alpha Special Operations Center, which covered over 900 kilometers and "successfully engaged their targets."
This was the second drone attack in the past week on key ports that facilitate the export of Russian oil via the Baltic Sea.
Drones attacked Primorsk port in Leningrad Oblast overnight on March 23. A fire broke out there; General Staff confirmed the strike on Transneft oil terminal at Primorsk port, where both the tank farm and oil loading infrastructure were damaged.
At the same time, Ukrainian drones attacked and struck Ust-Luga port in 2025, after which it was forced to suspend operations, having only recently resumed them.
The lion's share of Russia's export oil is loaded onto the country's shadow fleet vessels through these two ports.
Prior to the attack, Primorsk port was capable of exporting over 1 million barrels of crude oil per day and is a key shipping point for Russian Urals crude and diesel fuel, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, Ust-Luga can process about 700,000 barrels of oil per day.
Russia exported about 32.9 million tons of petroleum products through Ust-Luga and 16.8 million tons through Primorsk last year.
A fire broke out on the enterprise's territory. The extent of the damage is being clarified.