Ukrainian Drone Strike Hits Fuel Reservoir at Russia’s Primorsk Port, Causing Leak
Governor confirms shrapnel damaged storage tank, leading to fuel spill and evacuation of workers from critical Baltic export hub
KYIV — April 5, 2026 — A Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Baltic Sea port of Primorsk on Sunday, April 5, caused a fuel reservoir to leak after being hit by shrapnel, according to regional officials, marking the latest in a series of attacks targeting critical Russian energy infrastructure.
The overnight attack on Primorsk, one of Russia’s largest oil export ports on the Baltic Sea, was confirmed by Alexander Drozdenko, governor of Russia’s Leningrad region. Drozdenko initially reported that a pipeline had been damaged but later clarified in a Telegram post that a fuel reservoir in the port area had leaked when it was struck by shrapnel from a downed drone .
“According to updated information, the oil pipeline in the port area of Primorsk was not damaged,” Drozdenko said, according to Russian media. “Combustible materials leaked after shrapnel hit a fuel tank” . All consequences of the incident have been eliminated, the governor added.
The strike was part of a broader wave of Ukrainian drone attacks across multiple Russian regions overnight. Drozdenko said 19 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the airspace of the Leningrad region . Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that a total of 87 drones were intercepted over 13 Russian regions and occupied Crimea between 10:00 p.m. on April 4 and 8:00 a.m. on April 5 .
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Ukrainian drone forces commander Robert Brovdi confirmed the strike on Primorsk, noting that the “unmanned systems forces once again paid a gracious visit” to the Transneft-owned facility . The port serves as the endpoint of the Baltic Pipeline System and, according to Reuters, can handle up to 1 million barrels of oil per day .
Airspace Closure Disrupts Air Traffic
The attack on Primorsk led to the temporary closure of airspace in the St. Petersburg area, with Pulkovo Airport suspending operations for several hours . The disruption forced Chinese passenger carriers that normally fly south of St. Petersburg over the Gulf of Finland to Central Europe to be rerouted via Finnish airspace, according to Finnish broadcaster Yle .
Primorsk: A Strategic Target
The Port of Primorsk, located between the Finnish border and St. Petersburg, is Russia’s largest oil export port on the Baltic Sea. According to publicly available information, the terminal’s tank farm consists of 18 tanks of the RVSPK-50,000 type, with a total storage capacity of approximately 921,000 cubic meters .
The port was also attacked in March 2026, when an oil depot was set ablaze. Following that attack, satellite images indicated that at least eight tanks, each with a capacity of 50,000 cubic meters, were damaged — corresponding to about 40% of the terminal’s total storage capacity . Berths No. 1, 2, 4, 8, and 9 were also damaged in the March attack, according to Militarnyi .
Broader Drone Campaign
The Primorsk strike was part of a coordinated Ukrainian drone campaign on Sunday, April 5. Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces targeted the NORSI oil refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region — Russia’s fourth-largest refinery and second-largest producer of petrol .
The “Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez” refinery in Kstovo, which has an annual capacity of 17 million tons and provides nearly 30% of the gasoline consumption for the Moscow region, caught fire following the attack . Two facilities at the plant were hit, and a power station and several houses were damaged, though no injuries were reported .
In occupied Crimea, Ukrainian units struck an aviation equipment storage warehouse in Saky .
Impact on Russian Oil Exports
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian oil infrastructure in recent months as part of a strategy to degrade a key source of revenue that funds Moscow’s war effort . At one point last month, about 40% of Russia’s oil exporting capabilities were shut down due to a combination of drone attacks, the closure of the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine, and the seizure of Russia-linked tankers .
The Primorsk terminal, along with terminals in Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk, is among the three strategic oil hubs in the European part of Russia . The Baltic Sea ports have been largely inoperative for two weeks due to the cumulative impact of drone strikes, forcing Russian refineries to seek alternative fuel export routes .
Current Situation
As of Sunday evening, Russian authorities reported that the fuel leak at Primorsk had been contained and that all consequences of the incident had been eliminated. The extent of damage to the terminal’s storage capacity is still being assessed, though officials have confirmed no casualties.
The attacks come as diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine remain stalled. Three rounds of high-level talks in Abu Dhabi and Geneva this year have made no progress on territorial concessions in eastern Ukraine, and a fourth round scheduled for last month was postponed due to the US-Israel war on Iran .
SOURCES / INPUTS
Al Jazeera: Ukraine hits port in Russia’s Primorsk, oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod
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