Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack targeting Russian territory on September 12, 2025, with a key focus on the Primorsk oil port in the Leningrad region. The attack, one of the largest in months, disrupted operations at a crucial hub for Russia’s oil exports and highlighted Ukraine’s ability to strike deep inside Russian territory.
The aerial assault specifically targeted the Primorsk oil port, the final station of the Baltic Pipeline System, according to Ukraine’s security services. Authorities in the Leningrad region reported that 28 drones were intercepted and destroyed, but a fire broke out at a vessel and a pumping station within the port. Officials stated the blaze was extinguished without causing casualties or leaks.
The port of Primorsk is also a central component of Russia’s “shadow fleet” – a network of older tankers used to circumvent international sanctions. The attack on this key infrastructure could further complicate Russia’s ability to export oil and generate revenue.
Beyond Primorsk, drone strikes also targeted several pumping stations feeding the Ust-Luga terminal, near the border with Estonia. Meanwhile, Russian state energy firm Rosatom reported a drone attack on a power unit at its Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant, near the Belarussian border. Russian officials said drones were intercepted across at least nine other regions, including Kaluga, Novgorod and the Moscow area, where nine drones were said to have been destroyed.
According to the Russian defense ministry, more than half of the 221 drones launched toward Russian territory were intercepted over the Bryansk and Smolensk regions, where facilities belonging to Lukoil were reportedly targeted. In Bryansk, a drone struck a bus, injuring seven people, including five civilians and two military personnel, regional Governor Alexander Bogomaz said.
In a separate incident, two civilians were killed in Ukraine’s Sumy region when a Russian glide bomb struck a village near the border. The development underscores the ongoing conflict and the continued targeting of civilian areas.
Debris from the intercepted drones was recorded across several areas, though authorities insisted there were no additional casualties. Reuters reported that this marked the first time Ukrainian drones had disrupted operations at the Primorsk terminal.
Reports on X indicate that the Port of Primorsk is one of Russia’s largest Baltic oil export terminals. The BBC noted the port’s importance as a crucial hub for Russia’s maritime exports.
