- Category
- Latest news
Russian Baltic Oil Exports Halted Following Major Ukrainian Drone Strikes
- Authors
![Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko]( "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
Russian Baltic ports have suspended oil loading operations after a significant Ukrainian drone attack.
The Primorsk and Ust-Luga terminals, which serve as Russia’s primary export hubs, stopped loading crude oil and petroleum products. The strikes caused massive fires, with smoke visible as far away as Finland, according to Reuters on March 25.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
These drone attacks represent some of the most significant strikes on Russian oil export infrastructure since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The disruptions are expected to increase uncertainty in global oil markets, which are already affected by instability in the Middle East.
Russian officials confirmed that a fire broke out in Ust-Luga following the drone strike. Primorsk, located across the Gulf of Finland, has also faced attacks in recent days. Ust-Luga was closed while storage tanks continued to burn. No casualties have been reported.
Heikki Autto, a member of the Finnish Parliament and chairman of the Defense Committee, told Reuters he saw a massive column of smoke from the direction of Primorsk while landing at Helsinki Airport.
“It is striking that the fighting is taking place so close, even if the security situation in Finland has not changed,” he said. He added that the European Union should implement stricter sanctions to stop Russian oil exports without the need for Ukrainian drones.
Ukraine has recently increased drone strikes on Russian refineries and export routes to weaken the Russian war economy.
The Security Service of Ukraine stated that its drones “successfully hit targets” in Ust-Luga. “As a result of the attack, oil loading racks were damaged, as well as a tank farm with crude oil and petroleum products,” the statement said, adding that such strikes reduce foreign currency inflows to the Russian Federation's budget.
Ust-Luga and Primorsk had briefly suspended exports days ago following previous drone attacks but had partially resumed loading on Monday.
Primorsk is a major outlet for Russian Urals crude and high-quality diesel, capable of exporting over 1 million barrels per day.
Last year, Ust-Luga exported 32.9 million metric tons of oil products, while Primorsk exported 16.8 million tons.
On March 23, 2026, drones struck Russia’s primary oil export port on the Baltic Sea, damaging fuel infrastructure and igniting a fire at the facility.
Local residents in the Leningrad region reported hearing multiple explosions throughout the night as the attack targeted the port of Primorsk.
Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed that a fuel storage tank had been damaged and caught fire around 4 a.m., while Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted more than 60 drones during the incident.
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
