A new Ukrainian drone attack has ignited a fire and inflicted damage at Ust-Luga, one of Russia's most significant Baltic export ports.

Alexander Drozdenko, governor of Russia's Leningrad region, confirmed early on Tuesday that damage had occurred inside the port zone, with emergency services responding while the attack was still being repelled. Russian authorities said 44 drones were shot down across the region overnight. The specific facility struck and the extent of the damage remain unconfirmed.

Yanos, one of Russia's five largest oil refineries and a key supplier to Moscow and central Russia, has reportedly halted two of its three crude distillation units in the wake of the strike.

Ust-Luga handles large volumes of crude oil, petroleum products, coal, LNG, gas condensate, and fertilisers, making it one of Russia's most strategically vital export gateways. The port's significance stems in part from its location on the Baltic Sea, west of St Petersburg, offering Russia an export route that avoids crossing the Danish straits, and it has become increasingly important for Russian energy shipments since sanctions followed the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ukraine has pursued a strategy of long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refining and export infrastructure, aiming to degrade the revenues that fund Moscow's war effort. Strikes on refineries and terminals have repeatedly forced shutdowns and repairs at Russian processing facilities, affecting exports of fuels such as diesel, in which Russia has been a major global supplier.

Tuesday's incident is part of a broader pattern. As Splash reported on August 14, Ukrainian drones again targeted Ust-Luga, including facilities tied to Russian gas producer Novatek. The port also endured an intense series of strikes in March: an attack on March 25 set the Novatek gas condensate complex ablaze, and six days later Splash reported that Ust-Luga had been hit for a third time in just over a week. Satellite imagery showed at least eight storage tanks destroyed or damaged.

Russia has since tightened security around Baltic shipping, including ordering extensive underwater hull inspections after suspected sabotage incidents involving tankers calling at Ust-Luga. The repeated targeting of Ust-Luga and the surrounding Baltic infrastructure points to continued risk for shipping and cargo operations at a port that handles a substantial share of Russia's seaborne exports, an issue shipowners, insurers and cargo interests have been tracking as attacks persist.