The crisis in the Ormuz Strait helps Russia. Moscow earns despite Ukrainian strikes at oil ports

The protracted crisis around the Ormuz Strait and tensions in the Middle East conquer oil prices, which partly helps Russia maintain the proceeds from exports of raw material despite Ukrainian strikes at oil ports and refineries. The Kremlin is still struggling with infrastructure problems, but more expensive oil mitigates the effects of these disturbances.

The Middle East Raises Oil Prices

For several weeks now, the oil market has been responding to shipping restrictions and the risk of further escalation in the Ormuz Strait. For importers, this means an increase in transport costs and supply uncertainty. For Russia, however, the situation looks more complicated.

Moscow continues to export oil despite western sanctions and logistical problems caused by the Middle East war. Price increase The raw material causes that even with export restrictions Russian influences can remain high. The mechanism is simple: fewer barrels can be sold more expensive.

Ukrainian drones continue to hit Russian ports

However, this does not mean that the Russian oil sector has returned to stable work. Ukraine has been conducting regular drone strikes on export ports, refineries and fuel storage facilities for months. The Baltic attacks remain particularly important ports of Primorsk and Ust-Ługawhich are crucial for Russian exports of oil and oil products.

In the previous weeks after the strikes, loadings were held there, and some of the tankers were waiting for reds in the Gulf of Finland. The problems also concerned terminals on the Black Sea and transmission infrastructure in deep Russia.

Ukrainian activities are increasingly striking not only individual objects, but the logistics of Russian exports of energy resources. The problem is to maintain continuity of handling, storage and shipment of raw material.

Kremlin benefits from market situation

The paradox is that tensions in the Middle East partly help Russia to survive the effects of these strokes. The oil market responds primarily to the risk of reducing global supply. Any information about problems in the Ormuz Strait area automatically increases the prices of raw material.

For the Kremlin, this means an additional financial buffer at a time when Ukrainian attacks increase export costs and destabilise the operation of Russian ports. Russia continues to lose the efficiency of part of energy infrastructure, but at the same time benefits from a global rise in oil prices.

The Baltic remains one of the main directions of pressure

The Baltic direction remains particularly important from the perspective of Ukraine. Primorsk and Ust-Ługa are one of the most important export windows in the world for Russia. Each disruption of the operation of these terminals affects not only the Russian budget, but also the movement of tankers and safety Baltic shipping.

Therefore, the current situation creates a rather unusual picture of the market. On the one hand, Ukrainian drones are becoming increasingly effective in filling the Russian export system. On the other hand, the crisis in the Middle East makes Moscow still able to benefit from high oil prices and partly absorb the effects of these losses.