Finance
Russia's Transneft Seeks to Redirect Oil From Attacked Ports, Interfax Reports
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 26, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 26, 2026
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Transneft is seeking to reroute oil exports after drone strikes disrupted major Baltic terminals, prompting a halt in around 40% of Russia’s export capacity and raising challenges in capacity offset and alternative routing.
Transneft Plans Rerouting After Drone Attacks Halt Russian Oil Exports
Impact and Response to Drone Attacks on Russian Oil Exports
MOSCOW, March 26 (Reuters) - Russia's oil pipeline monopoly Transneft will try to redirect oil exports from the Baltic Sea ports, damaged by drone attacks, Interfax news agency reported on Thursday, citing the head of the company.
According to Reuters calculations based on market data, at least 40% of Russia's oil export capacity is at a halt following Ukrainian drone attacks, a disputed attack on a major pipeline and the seizure of tankers.
Details of the Drone Attacks
Ukrainian drones attacked this week the Baltic Sea ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga, major hubs for Russian oil exports, forcing them to suspend loadings, industry sources told Reuters.
Transneft's Response and Challenges
"Redirecting such volumes at short notice is difficult. These are significant amounts," Transneft's CEO Nikolai Tokarev is quoted by Interfax as saying.
"As for our company, we will try to do everything possible as quickly as we can," he said.
Tokarev did not say if the ports halted operations.
Significance of Affected Ports
Primorsk: Major Outlet for Urals Crude
PRIMORSK IS MAJOR OUTLET FOR URALS CRUDE
Primorsk, which is able to export more than 1 million barrels of crude oil per day, is a major outlet for Russia's flagship Urals crude and high-quality diesel.
Export Volumes from Ust-Luga and Primorsk
According to sources, Ust-Luga exported 32.9 million metric tons of oil products last year, and Primorsk 16.8 million tons.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Writing by Anastasia Teterevleva; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Barbara Lewis)
Key Takeaways
- •Ukraine's drone attacks have incapacitated key Baltic ports—Primorsk and Ust‑Luga—halting an estimated 40% of Russia’s oil export capacity (reddit.com).
- •Primorsk handles roughly two‑thirds of Baltic export voyages, with Ust‑Luga handling about a third; redirecting these volumes swiftly poses logistical strain (brookings.edu).
- •Historical data shows Ust‑Luga capacity has previously dropped to half or less after drone or pipeline attacks, with volumes diverted to Primorsk and Novorossiysk (logistics.maritimeprofessional.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia's Transneft seeks to redirect oil from attacked ports, Interfax reports
1Why is Transneft redirecting Russian oil exports?
Transneft is redirecting oil exports because drone attacks have damaged key Baltic Sea ports, halting a significant portion of Russia's oil export capacity.
2Which ports were affected by the drone attacks?
The Baltic Sea ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga, key hubs for Russian oil exports, were affected by the Ukrainian drone attacks.
3How significant is the export capacity loss for Russia?
At least 40% of Russia's oil export capacity is at a halt following the attacks on ports and pipelines.
4What products do Primorsk and Ust-Luga export?
Primorsk mainly exports Urals crude and high-quality diesel, while Ust-Luga exported 32.9 million metric tons of oil products last year.
5What actions is Transneft taking in response to the attacks?
Transneft will attempt to redirect oil exports from the affected ports as quickly as possible, according to the company CEO.
