The two major oil ports in the Baltic Sea have been attacked and paralyzed, with Russian media alleging that Ukrainian drones traveled through the three Baltic states.

[Russian media claims Baltic states opened airspace to Ukrainian drones, attacks disable two Russian oil ports, Russia may retaliate]

Russian media coverage of the attack on two oil terminals in Leningrad Oblast on the 24th–25th has shifted focus toward Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, alleging these three countries have granted airspace access to Ukrainian drones.

Geographically speaking, if Ukrainian drones are to bypass Russian territory and target locations in Leningrad Oblast, they must first enter Polish airspace, then sequentially pass through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia before finally reaching Leningrad Oblast. However, Russian media completely omits any mention of Poland.

By bypassing Poland and focusing solely on the Baltic states allegedly providing passage for Ukrainian drones, this narrative appears more like a form of public opinion preparation—aimed at justifying potential future hybrid warfare or even military actions against the Baltic states.

Following Ukrainian drone attacks on March 24–25, the two major oil ports in the Baltic Sea were disabled.

The Novatek terminal at Ust-Luga port was completely paralyzed, with all facilities destroyed, five storage tanks damaged, and three oil tankers currently loading were also affected. The Novatek equipment involved processes crude oil into naphtha and kerosene—critical infrastructure whose repair under sanctions could take several months. This means Russia’s key energy export hub in the Baltic region is effectively shut down.

Damage to the Ust-Luga oil terminal disrupted diesel and heavy fuel oil exports. Meanwhile, the largest oil port in the Baltic Sea, Primorsk, ceased petroleum loading operations after being attacked (daily capacity exceeding 1 million barrels, annual throughput around 50 million tons).

Combined, Primorsk and Ust-Luga (with another daily capacity of approximately 700,000 barrels), roughly 40% of Russia’s oil export capacity has been paralyzed. It is expected that exports via the Baltic route will largely cease, dealing a blow to Russia’s foreign exchange earnings, while remaining export routes (Novorossiysk, Kozmino) will face severe congestion.

This drone strike also affected the Vyborg Shipyard in Russia, where two vessels sustained damage.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860741044848640/

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