SBU strikes Russian missile ship and oil terminals at Ust-Luga port

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) attacked Russia's Ust-Luga port near St. Petersburg and the missile ship "Naro-Fominsk," causing major fires at oil terminals. Russia may have lost combat helicopters during the defense. During the port's defense against Ukrainian drones, Russia reportedly lost two Ka-52 attack helicopters and one Mi-8 multi-purpose helicopter, with crew casualties reported. Russian sources suggest friendly fire from their own air defense may have downed them, though this remains unconfirmed. The SBU is verifying the helicopter destruction claims. The SBU drones also struck oil terminals in Ust-Luga, one of Russia's largest Baltic ports for oil exports. Several 30,000-tonne storage tanks at the Novatek terminal were hit, causing spills, while fires broke out at the Ust-Luga Oil terminal, the Factor terminal, and Luzhskaya railway station. The Naro-Fominsk, a Buyan-M class corvette capable of carrying Kalibr cruise missiles used against Ukraine, was commissioned in late 2023.