On the night of May 3, Ukrainian Defense Forces launched a massive drone attack on the Primorsk sea trade port in the Leningrad region. The strikes caused a fire at the strategic facility and damaged Russian military equipment and port infrastructure.
Robert Brovdi (Magyar), Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, reported the operation.
He emphasized that the Defense Forces continue to strike key Russian oil terminals. According to Brovdi, the strikes also targeted several anti-aircraft missile systems, radar stations, and temporary deployment points of Russian units.
Impact of the Attack
The Governor of the Leningrad region, Aleksandr Drozdenko, claimed that over 60 drones were shot down. However, he confirmed a fire in the port of Primorsk, which emergency services later extinguished. The Russian Ministry of Defense provided even higher figures, claiming to have intercepted 334 UAVs overnight.
Independent monitoring groups suggest more significant damage. The ASTRA Telegram channel, using NASA FIRMS thermal anomaly data, identified fires at an oil loading pier. Analysts also noted a fire at the specific location where a Pantsir air defense system was stationed. Consequently, St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport temporarily suspended operations due to the drone threat.
The ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga are vital to the Russian economy, accounting for 44% of its oil exports. Primorsk is a primary hub for Urals crude oil and high-quality diesel fuel.
Defeat of the “shadow fleet” tankers
Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported additional details of the successful operation. According to the President, a joint mission by the SBU, GUR, Unmanned Systems Forces, SSO, and border guards struck a Karakurt-class missile ship, a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles. A patrol boat and another shadow fleet tanker were also hit. The Head of State emphasized that the operation caused significant damage to the port’s oil-loading infrastructure.
Furthermore, the President reported that two more tankers were struck near Novorossiysk. Russia used these vessels to bypass international sanctions.
“Our warriors continue to apply sanctions against the Russian shadow oil fleet – they struck two such vessels in the waters at the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk. These tankers were actively used to transport oil. Now they won’t be,” Zelenskyy stated.
Previously, The Ukrainian Review reported that Ukraine strikes Russian Iskander systems, radar stations, and other military targets.
