Russia said a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack triggered a fire at the key Baltic port of Ust-Luga, as hostilities between Moscow and Ukraine continue to escalate.
Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences intercepted and destroyed 389 drones overnight, with strikes reported in border regions and around Moscow. The attack sparked a blaze at Ust-Luga, a major hub for oil, fertiliser and coal exports.
Regional governor Alexander Drozdenko said the fire was “being brought under control” and confirmed there were no casualties. Ukraine’s military claimed responsibility, stating that oil loading and unloading infrastructure at the port had been hit. The strike follows a similar attack earlier in the week on the Baltic port of Primorsk, which also caused a large fire.
The escalation comes after Russia launched nearly 1,000 drones at Ukraine within 24 hours, hitting cities including Lviv and killing at least eight people. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes, describing them as “absolute depravity” and vowing retaliation.
Elsewhere, fallout from the drone campaign extended beyond the immediate conflict zone. In Estonia, a drone struck a power plant near Narva after entering from Russian airspace, while another crashed in Latvia. Officials in both countries said the drones were likely Ukrainian and had gone off course.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said: “This drone was not directed at us,” while Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina added that Ukraine was “defending itself, and we must respond with understanding.”
Meanwhile, fighting also impacted Russia’s Belgorod region, where local authorities reported “serious damage” to electricity and water infrastructure and confirmed one civilian death after a drone struck a car. Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, including talks involving the United States, progress toward ending the conflict appears limited. Zelensky said: “Unfortunately, there is no real progress as yet… Russia does not want to move towards peace.”