Press Release, 9.04.2026

Photo: Smoke-filled sky on the Skandinaviya highway near St Petersburg / Photo by Dmitry Anisimov

Yabloko party leader Nikolai Rybakov has sent an official letter to Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, in connection with a series of drone strikes on port infrastructure facilities in the Leningrad Region. The Yabloko leader is requesting full information on the environmental consequences of the UAV strikes on the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk.

“Such incidents carry serious environmental risks, including potential pollution of the Baltic Sea and coastal areas. The Baltic is a closed ecosystem with extremely limited water exchange, where even a small oil spill can have long-term consequences for marine flora and fauna and for the health of residents in coastal regions,” Nikolai Rybakov said.

The letter notes that adequate and systematic official information on the scale of the environmental damage, the remediation measures taken, and the results of monitoring remains absent from the public domain.

“Article 42 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees every citizen the right to a favourable environment and to reliable information about its condition. Ensuring openness and transparency on matters of environmental safety is not only a constitutional obligation, but also a vital element of responsible governance and the maintenance of public trust,” Nikolai Rybakov noted.

According to media reports, including Fontanka.ru, Forbes, and others, the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk have been repeatedly struck since 22 March 2026. On 23 March, Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that a fuel tank at Primorsk port had been damaged and a fire had broken out.

In late March, St Petersburg authorities stated that “air pollution was observed on 28–30 March due to unfavourable meteorological conditions (calm winds and stagnant air)”: residents reported smog, darkened skies, a smell of burning, and throat irritation.

In early April, localised petroleum pollution was discovered on the shore of the Gulf of Finland near the village of Logi in the Kingisepp District of the Leningrad Region. No coherent explanation of the causes of the air and coastal pollution, or of the damage sustained, has been provided by the authorities.