Ukrainian forces launched a drone strike on Russia’s Ust-Luga port in the Leningrad region overnight, damaging two processing plants at one of the country’s largest Baltic Sea export hubs, the Ukrainian General Staff confirmed on Friday.
The attack targeted the port’s energy infrastructure, setting off fires at the facility that serves as a major terminal for crude oil and petroleum product exports. The Leningrad region governor confirmed the strike, saying port infrastructure was hit, while Ukrainian officials said two processing plants sustained significant damage.
A Strategic Target
Ust-Luga has been a recurring target for Ukrainian long-range drones. The port, located near the Estonian border on the Gulf of Finland, handles roughly 20 percent of Russia’s seaborne oil exports and is a critical node in the country’s energy supply chain. Previous strikes in March 2026 temporarily shut down operations and damaged fuel storage tanks.
Russia’s air defense systems engaged incoming drones but failed to prevent the strikes from reaching their targets. The Leningrad region governor reported that air defense units destroyed dozens of Ukrainian drones overnight, but falling debris caused fires at the port facility.
Part of a Wider Campaign
The Ust-Luga attack is part of Ukraine’s escalating campaign to strike Russian energy infrastructure deep behind the front lines. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have also targeted oil refineries in Tatarstan and the Orsk region, with one facility in Orsk reporting it has been completely shut down for months following a drone strike.
The strikes are designed to disrupt Russia’s export revenues and military logistics, though Moscow has repeatedly accused Ukraine of targeting civilian infrastructure. The Ust-Luga port is a civilian facility but is also used to support Russia’s military supply chain.
Meanwhile, Russia continued its own aerial bombardment of Ukraine, launching 133 Shahed-type attack drones overnight that killed at least four people and injured 60 across the country, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Separately, Russian forces struck Odesa with eight Kalibr cruise missiles and 15 Shahed drones in the early hours of Friday, though Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted all incoming projectiles. Falling debris from the interceptions damaged a residential building, a supermarket, and a dormitory at an educational facility, Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said.
Sources: Kyiv Independent; Ukrainian General Staff; Fox News
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