Ukrainian drones strike Russia's largest oil terminal for the first time

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Smoke rises over a fuel tank following a suspected drone attack in Sevastopol, Crimea, 2023. Stringer/Reuters

MOSCOW  -  A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's northwestern port of Primorsk suspended loadings at the country's largest oil terminal for the first time, according to two industry sources and Ukraine's military.

The drone strike, the first reported such attack on the port, set fire to two vessels, the industry sources said. The Russian governor of the region around the port said a drone attack had set fire to one vessel and a pumping station and did not report any suspension of operations.

Kyiv has intensified drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure as it pushes for talks to end the war in Ukraine, trying to cut Russia off from its main source of revenue - crude oil sales - by limiting export capabilities.

Ukraine's SBU security agency said it had hit the Primorsk port with drones overnight leading to a fire and the suspension of loading operations.

Oil loadings from Primorsk were suspended early on Friday, two industry sources familiar with oil loadings from the port said. It was not clear if the operations had resumed at the time of writing.

WHICH TANKERS WERE HIT? 

The Transneft pipeline operator operating the port and Russia's Energy Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Two oil tankers, Kusto and Cai Yun, were hit by the attack, according to the industry sources. Kusto is an Aframax tanker owned and managed by Solstice Corp, according to LSEG. Cai Yun is an Aframax owned and managed by Acceronix Ltd. Both are registered in the Seychelles, public databases show. 

Since early August, Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, including refineries and pipelines, as peace talks remain stalled.

Other ports, including nearby Ust-Luga and the Black Sea's Novorossiisk, have been repeatedly targeted in recent months.

Russia has revised its September crude export plan from western ports to 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd), an 11% increase from the initial schedule, as drone strikes on domestic refineries have reduced local demand for crude.

Governor Alexander Drozdenko said the fire on the vessel at Primorsk, which he did not identify, was extinguished, and there was no risk of an oil product spill.

More than 30 drones were destroyed over the region, he added in the Telegram post, without mentioning the war in Ukraine.

Comments under his post reflected local anxiety. 

"How long will this go on for? I haven't slept all night and all morning. I only wish everything would be okay. The child doesn't sleep, just tries to fall asleep, then bang, bang — it's just awful. I wish it would all end soon," wrote a user named Sashulya.

Primorsk is located on the Gulf of Finland near St. Petersburg. Russia's air transport agency Rosaviatsia said Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg suspended operations for several hours on Friday morning.

Russia's military said its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 221 Ukrainian drones overnight, including nine over the Moscow region.

Asked for comment, Ukraine's General Staff spokesperson said the military did not have immediate information on the reported strike.

 (Reporting by reporters in Moscow; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Philippa Fletcher // REUTERS)