Ukrainian drones attack major oil and gas facilities in Russia's Leningrad Oblast for second night in row
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Editor's Note: This is a developing story.
A major oil refinery and natural gas port in Russia's Leningrad Oblast came under fire during an overnight drone attack on March 26, according to Russian officials and social media channels.
The reported strikes come one night after Ukraine launched a mass overnight attack on March 25, hitting an energy terminal in the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga and a Russian military icebreaker in the port of Vyborg.
The port of Ust-Luga was in flames again after another attack the following night, according to footage by locals posted to social media. For the second night in a row, drone attacks in the region temporarily suspended flights at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg.
Leningrad Oblast Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko also reported a drone attack in Kirishi, where one of Russia's largest oil refineries is located. Over 20 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the area, Drozdenko claimed.
"There is damage in the industrial zone," he said, without directly naming the refinery. No casualties were reported.
Kirishi residents, however, said that the refinery was under attack, according to the Russian opposition Telegram channel Astra.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these reports at the time of publication.
The Ukrainian military carried out a deep strike against the Ust-Luga port overnight on March 25, confirming the next morning that it inflicted major damage on a terminal operated by Novatek, Russia's second-largest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Ust-Luga is one of Russia's largest ports on the Baltic Sea and a major hub for exporting crude oil and petroleum products. Located west of St. Petersburg, far from Ukraine's border, the port plays an important role in generating revenue for the state budget.
Ukrainian forces have also previously attacked the Kirishi oil refinery, which accounts for 6.6% of Russia's total oil refining volumes. Following an attack in early October 2025, the facility reportedly halted its primary processing unit in order to repair the damage.
The Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for strikes on the refinery reported in September and March 2025 as well.
The Kirishi oil refinery is located more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from Ukraine's border. It opened in 2017 and has a reported annual processing capacity of 17.7 million metric tons — approximately 355,000 barrels per day.
Ukrainian forces continue to intensify attacks on Russia's oil industry, even as Moscow has begun to see additional profits from the global supply disruption triggered by the war in Iran.
Reuters reported on March 25 that Ukrainian drone strikes, pipeline damage, and tanker seizures have halted about 40% of Russia's oil export capacity — the worst disruption to oil supply in modern Russian history.
