Ukrainian drones strike Russian oil hub Primorsk in massive raid
Ukrainian drones struck the Baltic port of Primorsk overnight, damaging a fuel reservoir and sparking a fire at one of Russia’s most critical oil export hubs.
Leningrad regional governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed the strike on his Telegram channel. He stated that a fuel tank was damaged and a fire broke out, forcing the evacuation of personnel. Emergency services remain on-site.
Primorsk is a vital link in global energy markets. The port handles approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil and 300,000 barrels of low-sulfur Euro-5 diesel daily.
Widespread drone swarm
The attack on the port was part of a larger aerial offensive. The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed that air defences intercepted 249 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones across 12 regions during the night.
In the Leningrad region alone, Drozdenko reported that over 50 drones were shot down by 6:00 a.m. local time. While no casualties were reported, residential buildings in the village of Izora sustained minor damage.
Independent outlet Astra reported that some residential damage was likely caused by a Russian surface-to-air missile. The missile reportedly exploded while attempting to intercept a drone near the VISKOM defence plant, located one kilometre from the residential area.
Logistical disruptions
The massive drone wave forced temporary flight restrictions at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport. Between midnight and 6:00 a.m., ten flights were delayed and seven others were cancelled.
This is the second major strike on Primorsk in recent months. A previous drone attack on September 12 caused significant delays to oil loading schedules after several berths were temporarily disabled.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
