Moscow imposes flight bans as Ukraine strikes Baltic oil hub in reciprocal infrastructure war
Russian authorities restrict flights at Moscow-area airports following Ukrainian drone attacks on a Leningrad oil export hub and a warehouse near the capital, while Kyiv targets Danube port infrastructure in a widening campaign against critical assets.
Russia has imposed temporary flight restrictions at all airports in the Moscow region following a series of Ukrainian drone strikes that targeted critical infrastructure, including a major Baltic Sea oil export hub and a commercial warehouse. The Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, cited safety concerns as the justification for the disruptions, which coincide with a sharp escalation in reciprocal attacks on logistics and energy networks between Moscow and Kyiv.
Russian authorities confirmed that Ukrainian drones ignited a fire at the Ust-Luga port in the Leningrad region, a key facility for oil exports. Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko stated that the blaze was brought under control with no casualties reported. He noted that defensive measures successfully intercepted more than 50 drones overnight in the area surrounding St Petersburg, highlighting the intensity of the aerial activity in northern Russia.
Further south, drone debris from the same or related attacks damaged a warehouse wall belonging to the online retailer Wildberries in the Tver region, northwest of Moscow. The Tver governor confirmed there were no injuries. The incident adds to a pattern of targeting commercial logistics, with reports indicating that Wildberries facilities have been struck more than 20 times in the past month.
In response to the strikes on its territory, the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed its forces had targeted Ukrainian infrastructure at the Danube port of Izmail. State news agency TASS reported that the ministry alleged the railway station was being used to load, store, and transport military cargo and fuel for the Ukrainian armed forces. The ministry also stated that Russian forces struck two tugboats near Mykolaiv, claiming they were escorting vessels carrying weapons to Ukrainian ports.
The attacks on Izmail follow Russian strikes the previous day that damaged port infrastructure and caused power cuts in the vital export hub near the Romanian border. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian refineries and ports to increase the economic costs of the conflict, with more than a dozen major refineries previously hit, contributing to domestic fuel shortages.
The drone activity has extended the security perimeter into NATO member states, prompting defensive measures in the Baltic region. Latvia’s armed forces reported that fighter jets shot down a drone that entered its airspace, while Finland imposed temporary restrictions on maritime movement in parts of the Baltic Sea as a precaution against potential drone incidents.
NATO neighbours are tightening protections around critical infrastructure, including dams and power plants, amid fears that Moscow may stage false flag attacks using Ukrainian drones to destabilise the area. The heightened security posture reflects the broader volatility of the airspace and the increasing risk of collateral damage spilling across borders.
