A fire erupted at Russia’s Baltic port of Ust-Luga on Sunday following a drone strike, marking the second such incident at the key export hub within days, according to Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko.
The attack comes as Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian infrastructure – including oil refineries, storage depots, and ports – asserting its right to strike facilities that generate revenue for Russia’s war effort. Governor Drozdenko stated on social media that the port sustained damage, but no casualties were reported. Emergency services are currently working to contain the blaze.
“Rescuers are working to extinguish a fire” at the port, Drozdenko said, describing it as a major facility for the export of fertilizers, oil, and coal. He likewise reported that Russian air defenses destroyed 36 drones over the region overnight.
Earlier this week, Ust-Luga was already targeted in a drone attack claimed by Ukraine’s military. The port’s significance lies in its capacity to handle substantial volumes of Russian exports, particularly those circumventing Western sanctions. Satellite imagery confirmed the presence of significant fires following the initial attack.
In a separate incident on Sunday, a civilian was killed in Russia’s Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, following drone strikes on the city of Grayvoron. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov attributed the attack to the Ukrainian military, reporting that two drones were responsible for the fatality. Belgorod has experienced a surge in drone attacks in recent weeks, resulting in civilian injuries and property damage.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported launching a large-scale retaliatory strike overnight, firing 442 drones and one missile at Ukrainian targets. Kyiv’s air force claimed to have intercepted or shot down 380 of the drones. The scale of the Russian offensive represents a significant escalation in drone warfare.
Simultaneously, Ukraine also struck another major Baltic port, Primorsk, earlier this week, with visible black smoke captured in satellite images. Primorsk, like Ust-Luga, is a crucial outlet for Russian oil exports. Neither the Ukrainian government nor its military has yet commented on the latest attack on Ust-Luga.
