Massive Drone Attack Hits Russia: Nearly 400 UAVs Shot Down Overnight

The Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out their most massive drone attack on Russian regions in the past year during the night of March 25, with nearly 400 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) destroyed over the country. The Leningrad region was among the main targets, with strikes reported in Kronstadt and at the major Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga.

Air Defense Repels Large-Scale Strike

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 389 fixed-wing drones. Comparable numbers were last recorded in spring of the previous year, when 296 drones were reportedly shot down on May 28.

The Defense Ministry stated that the drones targeted multiple regions, including Smolensk, Kaluga, Tver, Oryol, Pskov, Novgorod, and Vologda, as well as the Moscow region and Crimea.

Attacks on Leningrad Region and Baltic Ports

In the Leningrad region, 56 drones were shot down, regional governor Alexander Drozdenko reported. A fire broke out in the port area of Ust-Luga and was later localized. The port is the largest on the Baltic Sea and includes a major oil terminal.

In Kronstadt, several residential buildings were damaged following the attack, according to St. Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov. No casualties were reported.

Eyewitnesses captured footage showing drones flying low over treetops near Vyborg. Explosions were also recorded in Kronstadt around 6 a. m., with videos capturing bright flashes following two blasts.

Impact on Oil Exports

According to Reuters, oil exports from the ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk in the Gulf of Finland were temporarily suspended due to earlier drone attacks on March 22-23.

Two key oil terminals halted shipments of crude oil and fuel. Operations in Ust-Luga were later resumed, while Primorsk remained closed for a longer period.

Primorsk has the capacity to export over one million barrels of crude oil per day, while Ust-Luga handles approximately 700,000 barrels daily. In the previous year, Ust-Luga exported 32.9 million metric tons of petroleum products, and Primorsk exported 16.8 million tons, according to sources cited by Reuters.