The Russian port of Primorsk — a key export hub for Russian oil on the Baltic Sea — has lost at least 40% of its oil tanks to Ukrainian drone attacks in recent weeks.
Reuters reports this, citing sources and satellite images provided to journalists by the Vantor spatial intelligence company.
According to the Russian oil monopoly “Transneft” (Primorsk), which is capable of handling 1 million barrels of oil per day (almost 1% of global oil supplies), has 14 crude oil tanks and four diesel fuel storage facilities at its main oil terminal.
Satellite images from late March showed that at least eight tanks with a capacity of 50 000 cubic meters — at least 40% of the port’s total storage capacity — had been damaged. This could force it to reduce cargo throughput. Two of the eight damaged tanks were used to pump diesel fuel, sources said.
The images also showed that at the port of Ust-Luga, another Baltic port that Ukraine has attacked in recent weeks, eight oil tanks were damaged by fire. Thatʼs 30 000 m³ and about a quarter of the supplies at that terminal.
Reuters also writes that at some point last month, about 40% of Russiaʼs oil export capacity was blocked due to attacks, damage to the “Druzhba” pipeline in Ukraine and the seizure of tankers from the Russian shadow fleet.
- Last week, Ukrainian forces attacked Russian oil infrastructure in the Leningrad region four times. The ports of Primorsk, Ust-Luga and the Kirisky oil refinery were under attack. The attacks continued this week. According to monitoring channels, fires continue in Primorsk and Ust-Luga.
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