Drone Strikes on Key Energy Sites Threaten to Suspend Russian Oil Exports in Baltic Sea

Russian oil producers have warned buyers they may declare force majeure  on supplies from major Baltic Sea ports after an intensified drone campaign against Russian energy infrastructure, two industry sources confirmed the potential declaration to Reuters on March 27.

The strategy behind the attacks was clarified by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has previously told Reuters that Kyiv is utilizing long-range strikes to maintain pressure on Moscow.

This physical targeting of Russian revenue streams follows the recent easing of international oil sanctions on Russia, which were relaxed to compensate for global supply disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, involving US, Israel and Iran.

On March 27, Ukrainian drones once again targeted the port of Ust-Luga, where a massive fire triggered by a previous strike on March 25 continues to rage. Oil loadings at the vital export hub have been completely halted since March 25.

While an official suspension notice from the Ust-Luga port authority did not provide a timeline for resuming exports, one industry source told Reuters that oil loadings from the terminal might not restart until mid-April. Meanwhile, Primorsk, another critical Russian Baltic Sea port, also suffered damage during the recent wave of attacks but managed to partially resume oil and fuel loadings on March 26.

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War in Ukraine

Russia Can’t Export Its Oil from the Baltic—Ukrainian Drones Strike Ports 1,000 km Away Three Times

Mar 26, 2026 18:15

Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the northwestern Leningrad region where both ports are located, stated on the Telegram messaging app on March 26 that the area has been facing “unprecedented” drone attacks since March 22.

The cumulative effect of these Ukrainian strikes, combined with a disputed attack on a major pipeline and the seizure of tankers, has brought at least 40 percent of Russia’s total oil export capacity to a standstill, according to Reuters calculations based on market data.

The threat of a force majeure declaration follows days of devastating precision strikes against Russia’s western energy corridor. Earlier in the week, drone attacks triggered massive fires at Novatek’s gas condensate processing complex in Ust-Luga, heavily damaging critical refining units and fuel storage tanks.

This systematic dismantling of Baltic Sea export hubs forms a core part of Ukraine’s strategy to inflict cascading logistical and financial damage on the Kremlin’s war machine, neutralizing the economic relief Moscow gained from recently relaxed international sanctions.

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