DRONE STRIKES DISRUPT RUSSIAN OIL EXPORTS
Separately, Russia’s key Baltic port of Ust-Luga has resumed crude loading after days of disruption caused by Ukrainian drone attacks, Bloomberg News reported.
An Aframax-class tanker, the Jewel, began loading cargo on Saturday, according to shipping data cited in the report. Reuters could not immediately verify the information, and Russian pipeline operator Transneft did not respond to requests for comment.
Ukrainian drones have struck Ust-Luga multiple times in recent weeks, targeting crude oil loading facilities, according to industry sources.
ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER PRESSURE
Drone attacks, along with other disruptions including a disputed pipeline strike and tanker seizures, have affected a significant portion of Russia’s oil export capacity.
Reuters reported last month that up to 40 per cent of Russia’s oil export infrastructure had been impacted, based on market data calculations.
The developments come as both Russia and Ukraine continue to target energy and logistical assets, as the war enters its fourth year with no clear resolution in sight.