Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Friday that its air defences intercepted and destroyed 33 Ukrainian drones overnight across five Russian regions, the Crimean peninsula, and the Black Sea. The strikes caused widespread disruption, temporarily grounding flights at multiple airports and damaging infrastructure in southern Russia.
According to Russia’s aviation watchdog, at least eight airports were forced to suspend operations during the night as a precaution. Air traffic was later resumed once the threat had subsided.
Injuries and Power Outages Reported
In the Krasnodar region, local authorities said two people were injured in the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban following a drone strike. Schools and kindergartens in the city were ordered closed for safety reasons, according to the regional emergencies centre.
Further north, in the Rostov region, Governor Yuri Slyusar said seven drones were shot down but reported that an electricity pylon had been damaged during the attack, cutting power to more than 200 homes. Repair crews were working to restore electricity.
The Defence Ministry did not specify whether the drones had caused any damage to military or civilian targets but said all were intercepted before reaching their intended objectives.
Expanding Drone Warfare
The incident marks another night of intensified drone warfare between Russia and Ukraine, as both sides increasingly rely on long-range aerial strikes. Drone attacks have become a regular feature of the conflict, targeting infrastructure, logistics hubs, and energy facilities on both sides of the front line.
Ukraine has not commented on the latest strikes. Moscow has repeatedly accused Kyiv of escalating cross-border attacks, while Ukraine maintains that its operations are aimed at reducing Russia’s ability to wage war.
(with inputs from Reuters)
