Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian Ports

Ukraine Targets Russian Oil Ports Amid Escalating Strikes Ukrainian forces conducted a drone attack on the Russian Baltic Sea port of Primorsk on May 3, 2026, according to Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko. This incident, which caused a fire but no oil spill, follows increased Ukrainian targeting of Russian energy infrastructure. Primorsk is a significant oil-exporting facility with a capacity of one million barrels per day.

Concurrently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian forces also struck two tankers belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet" near the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. These tankers, previously used for oil transport, were rendered inoperable. Zelenskyy indicated a continued expansion of Ukraine's long-range capabilities across sea, air, and land domains.

The attacks occurred as both Ukraine and Russia reported civilian casualties from overnight air raids. Russian officials reported a 77-year-old man killed in a drone strike in the Moscow region and three injuries, including a child, in Smolensk. Ukrainian officials reported three fatalities from Russian drone strikes, including two in Odesa and one in Kherson. Ukraine's air force stated Russia launched 268 drones and one ballistic missile in its overnight attacks.