Ukraine’s drone offensive halves Russia’s oil shipments as global oil markets hangs in the balance

Business, Europe-Asia, International, Middle East, North America, Politics

INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — March 25, 2026: Russia’s ambitions to cash in on soaring global oil demand amid Middle East turmoil have suffered a devastating setback, as Ukrainian drone attacks cripple nearly half of its export capacity.

Massive fires erupted at Russia’s Baltic Sea ports, Primorsk and Ust-Luga, forcing the suspension of oil shipments for the second time in a week. The Ust-Luga terminal, which handles about 700,000 barrels of oil daily, was struck overnight, sparking an inferno that continues to rage. The port is a vital hub for petroleum products, coal, and fertilizers.

Primorsk, Russia’s largest Baltic oil port with a capacity of 1 million barrels per day, was also targeted earlier on March 22. That strike ignited fuel storage tanks, halting operations and compounding the disruption.

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The scale of the damage is staggering: about 2 million barrels per day—roughly 40% of Russia’s export capacity—has been knocked offline. Novorossiysk, another critical port on the Black Sea, has also faced interruptions following a drone attack earlier this month.

MarineTraffic data shows at least 50 vessels stranded in the Gulf of Finland, awaiting clearance to dock at the paralyzed ports. Local media, including Helsingin Sanomat, report that smoke from Ust-Luga’s burning fuel tanks—33 in total, with capacity exceeding 500 rail tank cars—is visible from Finland’s coastline, stretching for dozens of kilometers.

Russia’s oil lifeline to global markets now hangs in the balance, as Ukraine’s precision strikes continue to dismantle Moscow’s export infrastructure.