Drone strike sets fire at Russia’s Ust-Luga port, injures three

Drones struck the Ust-Luga port area in Russia’s Leningrad region overnight into Wednesday, causing a fire and injuring three people, regional governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said. The attack took place as U.S.-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine continued in Abu Dhabi.

Drozdenko said emergency crews responded to the blaze and that a transformer substation in Ust-Luga was shut down. He also reported that air defenses had downed drones over the region. His statements gave different totals at different points: he first cited 146 drones, then reported 150. The counts have not been independently verified.

The port lies on the Gulf of Finland near Estonia and handles oil and other exports. Reports described a fire and explosions in the port area, but the precise facilities affected and the extent of damage were not independently established. It was also not clear whether oil-loading or export operations were interrupted. Flights around St. Petersburg were disrupted, according to reports, while Finland temporarily restricted airspace over the eastern Gulf of Finland before lifting the restrictions.

The strike came during the second day of talks in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainian President...