Russia’s Baltic ports halt oil loadings after massive Ukrainian drone attack, sources say

Russia's Baltic ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga, major export terminals, suspended crude oil and oil products loadings on Wednesday after massive Ukrainian drone attacks sparked a blaze which could be seen from Finland, two sources told Reuters. 

The drone attacks on the Baltic ports amount to one of the largest strikes to date against Russia's oil export facilities in the four-year war, and are likely to add to uncertainty on the global oil markets caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

At around the same time that the Russian terminals were hit, two stray Ukrainian drones landed in neighbouring Latvia and Estonia, including one that hit an Estonian power station without causing damage.

SMOKE SEEN FROM FINLAND

Earlier on Wednesday Russian officials said fire had broken out at Ust-Luga after a Ukrainian drone attack. Neighbouring Primorsk has also been attacked in recent days.

A source who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters that the terminal had been sealed off and that reservoirs were ablaze. No casualties were reported.

Massive plumes of black smoke billowed far into the sky on Wednesday, according to unverified videos posted on Telegram.

Heikki Autto, a member of the Finnish Parliament and chairman of its defence committee, told Reuters he saw a massive pillar of black smoke rise from the direction of Primorsk port as he landed at the Helsinki Airport in Finland on Tuesday.

"It is dramatic that the hostilities come so close, even if Finland's own security situation has not changed," he said, adding that the European Union should have inflicted stricter sanctions to stop Russian oil exports without Ukrainian drones doing it.

UKRAINE TRIES TO WEAKEN RUSSIA'S ECONOMY

Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and export routes over recent weeks in an attempt to weaken Russia's war economy and as the peace talks, brokered by Washington, have stalled.

Ukraine's SBU security service said its drones "successfully struck their targets" in Ust-Luga.

"The attack damaged oil loading stands as well as a tank park containing crude oil and petroleum products," it said, adding that such strikes served to reduce foreign currency revenues to the Russian Federation's budget.

Ust-Luga and Primorsk, on the Gulf of Finland, were also forced to suspend exports of oil and crude on Sunday after drone attacks but they had tentatively restarted loadings on Monday, Reuters reported.

Primorsk, which is able to export more than 1 million barrels of crude oil per day, is a major outlet for Russia's flagship Urals crude and high-quality diesel.

According to sources, Ust-Luga exported 32.9 million metric tons of oil products last year, and Primorsk 16.8 million tons.

Russia's defence ministry said that 389 Ukrainian drones had been shot down across Russia overnight, including over the Moscow region.