Satellite imagery is confirming severe damage to Russia’s prime energy exporting ports, as Ukraine’s Baltic bombardment campaign continues for an eighth day. 

Ust-Luga port was attacked for the third time last night in the space of just over a week, with Ukrainian drones mounting a massive campaign against Russian ports and refineries in the Baltic area.

Recent data shows no ships were loaded with oil in any of Russia’s three Baltic ports on March 26 and 27, which the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has said is the first period of two consecutive days with no such activity since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Satellite images show at least eight tanks destroyed or damaged
at Ust-Luga, a similar number at Primorsk port, and at least two storage tanks taken out at Kirishi with estimates now suggesting the Ukrainians have knocked out nearly 50% of Russia’s exporting capabilities with its current campaign. Splash also reported last week on a laden Russian-linked suezmax coming under attack in the Black Sea near Istanbul.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, has said Ukraine’s allies have urged him to scale back attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure amid the ongoing global fuel crisis – but that they would only end if Russia stopped targeting Ukraine’s first.