Russian LNG producer Novatek suspends Baltic Sea terminal operations after fire from suspected Ukrainian drone attack
- The blaze was caused by ‘external influence’, but Russian media reported that local residents had heard a drone operating nearby, followed by several explosions
- Russia and Ukraine have targeted each other’s energy infrastructure in strikes designed to disrupt supply lines and logistics, amid a nearly two-year war
A fire broke out at a Baltic Sea terminal belonging to Novatek, Russia’s largest liquefied natural gas producer, after a suspected Ukrainian drone attack, forcing the company to suspend some operations there.
The Ust-Luga complex, located on the Gulf of Finland about 170km (110 miles) west of St. Petersburg, processes stable gas condensate into light and heavy naphtha, jet fuel, fuel oil and gas oil, according to Novatek’s website. The port is used to ship processed products to international markets.
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 in the Leningrad region 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, depriving the occupiers of the opportunity to earn money to wage war in Ukraine, 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.