Ukranian drone debris damages Russia's Ust-Luga, Vysotsk ports, other regions report attacks

Ukrainian drone attacks on Monday struck major Russian Baltic Sea ports, including Ust-Luga and Vysotsk, which serve as crucial outlets for oil and other exports. The assaults also triggered a power outage in Sevastopol, the strategic base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, and affected several other Russian regions.

Authorities reported that 56 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the Leningrad region alone. Ust-Luga, one of Russia's largest export terminals, has been a repeated target for Ukraine as it seeks to disrupt Moscow's war efforts. Exports from Baltic ports like Ust-Luga and Primorsk, along with Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, reached near-record levels in June, underscoring their importance to Russia's economy.

The series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries has already contributed to fuel shortages, price increases, and long queues at gas stations across the country. In addition to the port attacks, other regions reported significant drone activity. The Russian-appointed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, stated that a woman was killed in Kerch by a drone strike. In the Kaluga region, south of Moscow, drones hit an industrial site, sparking a fire. The Yaroslavl region reported two people injured by shrapnel, with approximately 70 drones downed overnight.

Sevastopol experienced a power blackout, though authorities later confirmed that household power supplies had been restored. The ongoing attacks highlight Ukraine's strategy of targeting Russia's energy and logistical infrastructure to undermine its capacity to wage war.

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56 Ukrainian drones have been shot down in recent attacks in the region.