Ukrainian security service drones struck Russia’s Primorsk oil port on the Baltic Sea overnight September 12, forcing the suspension of loading operations at the country’s largest western oil terminal, according to Ukrainian officials.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed its drones targeted the Primorsk facility in Leningrad Oblast. The attack ignited fires on vessels and at a pumping station, halting oil shipments from a port that handles roughly 60 million tons of oil annually worth an estimated $15 billion to Russia, an SBU source told the Kyiv Independent.
SBU drones struck Russia’s key oil export hub, the port of Primorsk, setting fires on a vessel and a pumping station, halting crude shipments. Primorsk handles around 60 million tons of oil annually, bringing Russia $15B. Estimated daily budget losses from the shutdown could… https://t.co/nT0Hn8ZGQP pic.twitter.com/vkua5SdWXy
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) September 12, 2025
Two oil tankers were struck in the assault, according to industry sources who spoke to Reuters. The Kusto, an Aframax tanker with 700,000-barrel capacity owned by Seychelles-registered Solstice Corp, and the Cai Yun, another Aframax vessel managed by Acceronix Ltd. The port has capacity to load approximately 1 million barrels per day of crude oil and 300,000 barrels per day of diesel.
The drone strike represents the first attack to force suspension of loading operations at Primorsk, which serves as the terminal point for Russia’s Baltic Pipeline System.
Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed the attack caused fires on one vessel and at a pumping station, though he claimed both blazes were extinguished without casualties or oil spills. Drozdenko reported that 28 drones were intercepted over the region during the overnight assault.
Fire on the territory of the Russian Primirsk sea port. And drone debris in the area around it. The hits on the vessel and oil pumping station were confirmed by the Russian governor of the Leningrad region. https://t.co/yx5LEC2I6l pic.twitter.com/WmSjmmhwDM
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) September 12, 2025
The strike formed part of what Russian officials described as one of the largest Ukrainian drone attacks in months. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted 221 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, including 85 over Bryansk Oblast, 42 over Smolensk Oblast, and 28 over Leningrad Oblast.
Ukrainian drones also targeted three oil pumping stations connected to the Ust-Luga port terminal pipeline system.
The assault also disrupted operations at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport, forcing temporary closure and affecting nearly 50 flights. Russian Telegram channels reported explosions in Moscow Oblast communities of Mozhaysk and Dedovsk, while Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirmed nine drones were shot down near the capital.
Oil prices rose nearly 2% Friday following news of the Primorsk suspension. Brent crude futures gained $1.02 to $67.39 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude increased $1.08 to $63.45, according to market data reported by Reuters.
The attack continues Ukraine’s strategy of targeting Russian energy infrastructure to reduce Moscow’s revenue from oil exports. Ukrainian strikes have previously hit the Druzhba pipeline, disrupting exports to Hungary and Slovakia, and disabled approximately 20% of Russia’s oil refining capacity during August, according to a statement from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
