Ukraine War: Russia Faces Attacks at Home & Drone Strikes Intensify
A Ukrainian drone attack has disrupted operations at Russia’s Primorsk oil terminal, a crucial hub for Russian oil exports on the Baltic Sea, for the first time, according to industry sources and Ukrainian military officials. The attack, which involved over 220 drones targeting multiple regions of Russia on Friday, September 12, 2025, set fire to a vessel and a pumping station at the terminal, though authorities reported the blaze was extinguished without casualties or leaks.
The port of Primorsk, capable of loading approximately one million barrels of crude oil per day, suspended loadings in the aftermath of the attack. While operations have since resumed, the disruption marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s campaign to degrade Russia’s energy infrastructure and revenue streams. The attack also targeted pumping stations feeding the Ust-Luga terminal, near the border with Estonia, according to Ukrainian security services.
The Russian defense ministry stated that more than half of the drones were intercepted over the Bryansk and Smolensk regions, where facilities belonging to Lukoil were reportedly targeted. A drone strike also impacted a power unit at the Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant, though Russian state energy firm Rosatom reported the incident did not result in any damage. Drones were intercepted across at least nine other regions, including Kaluga, Novgorod, and the Moscow area, with debris reported in several locations.
In the Bryansk region, a drone struck a bus, injuring seven people, including five civilians and two military personnel, according to regional Governor Alexander Bogomaz. Simultaneously, two civilians were killed in Ukraine’s Sumy region when a Russian glide bomb struck a village near the border.
The Primorsk terminal is central to Russia’s “shadow fleet” of aging tankers used to circumvent international sanctions. Security Service of Ukraine analyst Giovanni Staunovo noted that attacks on Russian energy infrastructure have the potential to further constrain Russian crude and refined product exports. Oil prices saw a modest increase following the attack, with US West Texas Intermediate crude gaining 56 cents, or 0.9%, to $62.93 per barrel.
Ukrainian officials have indicated that these strikes are intended to pressure Russia into negotiations to end the ongoing conflict. The attacks represent a broadening of Ukraine’s targeting strategy, extending beyond previous drone strikes on oil trade infrastructure. The scale of the overnight drone assault, involving 221 drones, was one of the largest in months, demonstrating Ukraine’s continued capacity to reach deep into Russian territory.