Russia suspends operations at fuel export terminal after suspected Ukrainian drone attack

investing.com:

By Andrew Osborn and Maxim Rodionov

(Reuters) -Russian energy company Novatek said on Sunday it had been forced to suspend some operations at a huge Baltic Sea fuel export terminal due to a fire started by what Ukrainian media said was a drone attack.

The giant Ust-Luga complex, located on the Gulf of Finland about 170 km (110 miles) west of St. Petersburg, is used to ship oil and gas products to international markets. It processes stable gas condensate — a type of light oil — into light and heavy naphtha, kerosene and diesel to be shipped by sea.

It was not clear how long the disruption would last, how many tankers would have to idle outside the port, and what the knock-on effect would be on international energy markets.

Critical infrastructure facilities in the surrounding Leningrad region were placed on high alert, with security units and law enforcement agencies ordered to destroy any drones detected, the regional administration said on Telegram.

The Interfax-Ukraine news agency, citing unnamed sources, said the fire was the result of a special operation carried out by Ukraine's security services.

«The Ust-Luga Oil terminal… is an important facility for the enemy. Fuel is refined there, which, among other things, is also supplied to Russian troops,» it cited one source as saying.

«A successful attack on such a terminal not only causes economic damage to the enemy… but also significantly complicates the logistics of fuel for the Russian military.»

Reuters could not confirm that the fire resulted from a Ukrainian drone attack.

If it did, such an attack would demonstrate Kyiv's ability to conduct strikes deeper into Russia than usual using what are believed to be domestically produced drones at a time when it is on