Russian oil terminals under attack unable to accept shipments for second week, sources say

ReutersFri, April 3, 2026 at 7:59 PM UTC

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FILE PHOTO: A satellite near-infrared image shows smoke rising from Russia's Baltic port of Ust-Luga after a Ukrainian attack, in Ust-Luga, Leningrad Oblast, March 27, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

April 3 (Reuters) - Russia's Baltic oil export hubs at Ust-Luga and Primorsk remain unable to handle shipments after ‌a series of Ukrainian drone attacks, prompting the country's ‌refineries to find alternative routes for export, industry sources said on Friday.

The ​attacks have damaged port infrastructure and continued through the last two weeks of March, with at least five strikes on Ust-Luga in the space of 10 days.

Sources said the export restrictions, along ‌with disruptions at large ⁠refineries, could lead to a decrease in oil production in Russia.

Traders said refineries have been unable ⁠to deliver diesel fuel to Primorsk for export since March 22, leaving refineries in European Russia and Siberia without their most ​viable export ​route.

"Diesel fuel has not been ​accepted in Primorsk since ‌Sunday (March 22)," said one industry source. "They have promised to resume accepting delivers to the system."

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Traders said refineries were having to consider more expensive rail transport routes to other export terminals.

Refineries normally sending deliveries to Ust-Luga have for the past week and ‌half considered sending their shipments of ​fuel oil to Vysotsk, further north ​on the Gulf of ​Finland or to Taman on the Black Sea ‌coast.

But traders say Vysotsk has ​a smaller handling ​capacity and shipping to Taman would require ensuring larger numbers of rail cars.

Finnish maritime officials told Reuters this week ​that shipments from ‌Primorsk and Ust-Luga were sharply down to "individual vessels" instead ​of a weekly average of 40 to 50.

(Reporting by ​Reuters; Editing by Mark Porter)

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