The Security Service of Ukraine has officially confirmed the strike on the oil terminal in the port complex of Ust-Luga, located in the Leningrad region of the Russian Federation, on the night of March 25. This port is a significant hub for Russia’s export of crude oil and petroleum products, notably utilizing vessels from the so-called shadow fleet to circumvent international sanctions.
This is reported by Finway
Scale of the Attack and Consequences for Russian Logistics
The SBU explained that the strike was carried out by long-range drones from the Special Operations Center “Alpha,” which traveled over 900 kilometers and successfully hit designated targets. As a result of the attack, oil loading stands and the storage tanks containing petroleum products were destroyed. A large fire broke out in the port area, confirmed by the governor of the Leningrad region.
“Today’s special operation is a symbolic ‘gift’ to the enemy on the Day of the SBU. Another reminder that there are no safe regions in Russia anymore. We will continue to carry out long-range operations to systematically reduce the military-economic potential of the enemy,” said acting SBU head Major General Yevheniy Khmara.
According to the SBU, hitting targets similar to Ust-Luga significantly impacts not only the tactical but also the strategic level, as it reduces foreign currency inflows into the budget of the Russian Federation from energy exports.
Series of Strikes on Russia’s Energy Infrastructure
This week marks the second major strike on Russian Baltic ports: on March 23, drones attacked the port of Primorsk, where firefighting efforts are still ongoing. It is noted that these ports are actively used for unloading raw materials onto shadow fleet vessels, allowing Moscow to bypass international community restrictions.
The governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, reported an attack involving 56 drones over the region and ongoing efforts to localize the fire at the Ust-Luga port. In Vyborg, the attack damaged the roof of a residential building, but no casualties have been reported.
Additionally, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the targeting of a military ship at the Vyborg Shipyard on the same night. Preliminary information indicates that it concerns the patrol icebreaker “Purga” of project 23550, which was to become part of the FSB Border Service of Russia.
The port of Ust-Luga is located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland and has repeatedly been targeted in 2024 and 2025.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion by Russia, the territory of the aggressor country has regularly faced air strikes, primarily targeting oil refineries and infrastructure facilities. Similar strikes are also recorded in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Most of these operations are confirmed by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, emphasizing that the goal is to systematically reduce the combat potential of the Russian military and compel Russia to cease its aggression.
Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Sergey Shoigu acknowledged that due to the development of Ukrainian drone systems, no region of Russia is currently protected from attacks.