Key facts
- Ukraine struck Russia's Ust-Luga port, damaging two processing plants and sparking a fire.
- The Ust-Luga port is a significant hub for Russian oil exports on the Baltic Sea.
- Russia also damaged a warehouse at Ukraine's TIS terminal in Pivdennyi (Southern) Port.
- Russia rejected proposals to reinstate the Black Sea grain initiative.
- Russia plans to abolish border zones with occupied Ukrainian territories.
Ukraine conducted a drone strike on Russia's Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast overnight on August 14, damaging two processing plants and igniting a fire, according to Ukraine's General Staff. Ust-Luga, situated on the Baltic Sea, is a critical hub for exporting crude oil and petroleum products, contributing significantly to Russia's state budget. Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed that port infrastructure was hit and a fire was burning, stating that 51 Ukrainian drones were downed over the region.
This strike follows a pattern of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, with Ust-Luga having been targeted multiple times in recent months. The attack on the port comes as Russia rejected the possibility of reinstating the Black Sea grain initiative, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accusing the West of using the deal to facilitate attacks on Russia and calling Ukraine's actions maritime terrorism.
Simultaneously, a Russian missile strike damaged a warehouse at the TIS terminal in Ukraine's Pivdennyi (Southern) Port complex. This incident occurred on the same day Russia dismissed the idea of reviving the grain deal, which Turkey had helped broker. Moscow has accused Ankara of not yet submitting an official ceasefire proposal.
In a separate development, Russia is reportedly set to abolish border zones between Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories, citing the "completion of the annexation" of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. This administrative change follows Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and other Ukrainian territories in 2022.
Meanwhile, protests continued in Kyiv, with demonstrators demanding President Volodymyr Zelensky reinstate former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Organizers expressed disappointment with Zelensky's silence on the matter, especially as the Ukrainian parliament prepares to reconvene.