Satellite Images Confirm Damage to Ust-Luga and Primorsk Ports: Aftermath of Ukrainian Drone Strikes

According to new satellite images published by Radio Svoboda on Telegram, the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk in the Leningrad region of the Russian Federation have sustained considerable damage after a series of Ukrainian drone strikes. The images show that only isolated pockets of fire remain in both ports, indicating that the fires, which had persisted for several days, have finally died down.

In particular, the Primorsk port has seen at least seven oil tanks completely burned down. As for the Ust-Luga port, assessing the damage is complicated due to a cloud that obscured the imagery, making it difficult to visualize the situation.

Reuters, citing three industry sources, reports that a reduction in oil production in Russia is an inevitable consequence of the attacks on port infrastructure, pipelines, and oil refineries (refineries). It is estimated that Russia's export capacity has decreased by 1 million barrels per day, which accounts for one-fifth of the total volume.

It is worth noting that at least 20% of Russia's total export capacity has been rendered inoperable. This figure reached 40% at the end of March, which will undoubtedly impact Russian oil production—currently the third-largest in the world, following the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Sources speaking to Reuters emphasized that Ukrainian drones are deliberately targeting both export infrastructure and refineries, leading to contamination of the pipeline system, while storage facilities are overflowing. This means that some oil fields will have to reduce production to avoid further congestion in the system.

The agency also notes that Russia has benefited from rising oil prices observed since the onset of American-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February. However, despite this, the reduction in energy production will still negatively impact the country's economy, as oil and natural gas account for about a quarter of government revenue.

According to sources, over 80% of Russian oil is transported through the state pipeline monopoly Transneft. This company has already informed exporters that the Ust-Luga port cannot load oil according to the initial schedule due to recent damage.

One source indicated that Transneft also stated that it is unable to accept full volumes of oil from producers planned for export through Ust-Luga. The oil unloading schedule from Ust-Luga for the first half of April is likely to be unfulfilled, although loading quotas for the second half of the month remain valid until further notice.

According to Russian sources, oil production last year fell by only 0.8% to 10.28 million barrels per day, which is about one-tenth of global production, despite Western sanctions and Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries.

On the night of March 31, drones attacked the Leningrad region of Russia, marking the seventh consecutive strike on the area. Reuters also emphasizes that this is the fifth strike specifically on the Ust-Luga port on the Baltic Sea in the past ten days, indicating an increasing intensity of attacks.

Journalist sources noted that after yet another attack by Ukrainian drones, the oil loading terminal sustained damage, which is likely to further complicate oil exports from Russia. On March 29, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that long-range drones successfully attacked the infrastructure of the oil terminal at the Ust-Luga port.

Satellite images from Planet Labs dated March 30 confirm that significant fires are ongoing in the oil infrastructure at the Primorsk and Ust-Luga ports in the Leningrad region following drone attacks, indicating serious consequences for the Russian oil and gas industry.