Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Russia’s Ust-Luga Port, Disrupts Flights

A massive overnight drone attack struck Russia’s Ust-Luga port on the Baltic Sea early Wednesday, Nov. 11, sparking a fire and knocking out a transformer substation at one of Moscow’s most important energy export hubs, according to Russian regional authorities. Leningrad region Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko confirmed that drones struck the port area in the Kingisepp district, southwest of St. Petersburg, with emergency crews deployed to extinguish the blaze.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “A UAV attack hit the port area of Ust-Luga, causing a fire,” Drozdenko said in a Telegram statement. He also reported an emergency shutdown of a transformer substation in Ust-Luga, indicating disruptions to local electricity infrastructure. The governor claimed Russian air defenses intercepted 150 drones over Leningrad region overnight, revising an earlier figure of 146. The figures could not be independently verified. Explosions and flames reported near port facilities Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+ published footage reportedly showing explosions near Ust-Luga’s port infrastructure and a large fire following the drone attack. The precise facilities struck, the extent of the damage and whether oil-loading operations were interrupted have not yet been independently established. Russian authorities declared a drone alert in Leningrad region shortly after midnight Moscow time, with air defense operations continuing for several hours. The attack also disrupted aviation near St. Petersburg. Other Topics of Interest Russia Launches Massive Drone Attack on Zelensky’s Hometown, Knocking Out Power and Heating Apartment buildings, schools and kindergartens were damaged in Kryvyi Rih, while emergency crews struggled to stabilize water and heating systems. According to Russian state news agency TASS, approximately 18 flights were canceled or delayed at Pulkovo Airport as temporary restrictions were imposed. Why Ust-Luga matters to Russia’s war economy Ust-Luga is one of Russia’s most strategically important Baltic Sea ports, handling crude oil, refined petroleum products and other export commodities. Located on the Gulf of Finland near the Estonian border, the port provides Russia with a major western outlet for energy exports and a source of revenue that helps sustain Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Its facilities include oil terminals and infrastructure supporting petroleum shipments to international markets. The port has repeatedly come under long-range drone attacks, highlighting the vulnerability of Russia’s energy infrastructure far from the front line. The latest attack followed another reported drone strike in Leningrad region on Nov. 9, when a fire broke out at the Kirishi oil refinery, one of Russia’s largest refining facilities. The extent to which the latest strike disrupted oil exports from Ust-Luga remains unclear. Russia continues striking Ukraine’s energy grid The attack came as Russia continued launching drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian cities and civilian energy infrastructure, leaving communities without electricity, heating and water as winter approaches. Overnight, Russian drones struck Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, damaging critical infrastructure and disrupting essential services. Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s Defense Council, reported that parts of Kryvyi Rih were left without electricity, while emergency crews worked to stabilize water and sewage systems using generators. Restoring heating was expected to be more difficult. Russia’s repeated attacks on Ukraine’s electricity generation, substations and heating infrastructure have forced utility workers to carry out emergency repairs as millions of Ukrainians face the risk of prolonged outages during freezing temperatures. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.