Ukrainian drones hit key Russian oil infrastructure on Sunday, including a major loading port in the Baltic Sea and two tankers allegedly used to illegally transport Russian crude oil, violating sanctions. These strikes are part of a series targeting Russia’s oil assets, with Ukraine focusing its attacks recently.
A nighttime drone strike sparked a blaze at Russia’s largest oil exporting port, Primorsk, according to Russian regional Gov., Alexander Drozdenko. Operated by Transneft, the port can handle hundreds of thousands of barrels per day and is located over 620 miles from Ukraine, between the Russian-Finnish border and St. Petersburg.
Ukrainian drones have increasingly targeted Russian oil tankers in recent weeks as Ukraine aims to reduce Russia’s ability to export oil and offset financial gains since Iran raised oil prices. Ukrainian forces destroyed several military and other targets, while inflicting significant damage on oil port infrastructure, according to President Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy wrote that Ukrainian drones also hit a Karakurt missile ship, a patrol boat, and two “shadow fleet” tankers near Novorossiysk. These tankers were actively used for transporting oil but are now inactive due to the strikes. Moscow did not immediately acknowledge Zelenskyy’s claims.
Elsewhere, Russian drones struck Ukraine’s southern Odesa region overnight into Sunday, killing two people and wounding three others as they damaged three residential buildings and port infrastructure. In Russia, a Ukrainian drone strike west of Moscow killed a 77-year-old man near Volokolamsk. Six drones were shot down in the Moscow region.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that 334 Ukrainian UAVs were downed overnight over Russia and occupied Crimea. The Ukrainian Air Force said it repelled 249 drones and recorded hits from ballistic missiles and 19 drones in 15 locations.