Russia's Leningrad Oblast 'now a frontline region,' local governor says following recent Ukrainian attacks

Prefer on Google by Dmytro Basmat A screenshot from a video posted to Telegram showing a large fire at the Ust-Luga oil terminal in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, on the morning of March 25, 2026. (Telegram) In a televised briefing broadcast on April 30, the governor of Russia's Leningrad Oblast, Alexander Drozdenko, briefed former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on the deteriorating situation at regional energy facilities following Ukrainian strikes. "Leningrad Oblast is now not only a border region but also a frontline region," Drozdenko told Medvedev, who currently serves as Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council. "And, judging by the intensity of the attacks in March and mid-April, fuel and energy complex facilities and port infrastructure are of interest to the enemy from the standpoint of inflicting damage," the governor added. Ukraine has intensified its attack on oil infrastructure in Leningrad Oblast, primarily targeting oil terminals in the port cities of Ust-Luga and Primorsk. While Leningrad Oblast does not directly border Ukraine, its location in western Russia and proximity to the Baltic Sea make it a prime target of Ukrainian attacks. Kyiv's broad development of its long-range striking capability in recent years has further exposed the region's vulnerabilities. Kyiv launched its initial attacks on the region on March 22, while continuing to strike the port periodically in the weeks following, reportedly hitting fuel storage tanks, piers, and several oil tankers, as well the port's infrastructure. The ports, located in the range of approximately 1,000 kilometers north of Ukraine’s closest border, play an important role in generating revenue for the Kremlin's state budget. Ust-Luga is one of Russia’s largest ports on the Baltic Sea and a major hub for exporting crude oil and petroleum products. While Primorsk handles around 60 million tons of oil annually and is Russia's main oil export hub on the Baltic Sea. Drozdenko further claimed that 343 drones were shot down over Leningrad Oblast in the first three months of 2026. Reuters reported on March 25, in the aftermath of the initial round of attacks, that Ukrainian drone strikes, pipeline damage, and tanker seizures have halted about 40% of Russia's oil export capacity — the worst disruption to oil supply in modern Russian history. Ukraine has increased strikes on Russian oil infrastructure in recent months, as it aims to reduce the Kremlin's most important revenue source — given a boost by the skyrocketing oil prices that have followed the war in Iran.