Key facts
- A Ukrainian drone attack damaged the Ust-Luga port in Leningrad Oblast early on Sept. 1.
- Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed damage at the port.
- Russian air defense reported destroying 38 drones over Leningrad Oblast.
- Footage appearing to show a fire at the port circulated on Telegram.
- The Ust-Luga port is a major hub for crude oil and petroleum product exports.
A Ukrainian drone attack damaged the Russian Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga in Leningrad Oblast early on Sept. 1, according to regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko. Ust-Luga is one of Russia's largest and most important ports on the Baltic Sea, serving as a major hub for the export of crude oil and petroleum products. Russian air defense reported intercepting 17 drones in the Ust-Luga port area and destroying a total of 38 drones over Leningrad Oblast between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. Footage circulating on Telegram appeared to show a fire at the port, though the extent of the damage was not immediately clear. The Kyiv Independent noted that it cannot verify claims made by Russian officials. This attack follows a series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, which have aimed to pressure the Kremlin by exacerbating a domestic fuel supply crisis.