Mass drone attack strikes across Russia, fire breaks out at major oil port
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Several regions across Russia came under a large-scale drone attack overnight on March 23, with authorities reporting damage to energy infrastructure and disruptions to air traffic.
In the Leningrad region, a fire broke out at the port of Primorsk after a fuel tank was damaged, Governor Alexander Drozdenko said. The port lies approximately 1,087 km (675 miles) from Ukraine’s nearest border point.
"Firefighting is underway, personnel have been evacuated," Drozdenko said. He did not provide information on casualties.
The attack also disrupted civilian aviation. Pulkovo International Airport in St. Petersburg temporarily restricted arrivals and departures amid the drone threat.
The Kyiv Independent can't immediately verify the claims.
Primorsk is Russia’s largest oil-loading port on the Baltic Sea and serves as the endpoint of the Baltic Pipeline System, making it a key hub for Russian energy exports.
Drozdenko said Russian air defense and electronic warfare systems had intercepted dozens of drones over the region, reporting more than 50 downed UAVs.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed in the morning on March 23 that a total of 249 Ukrainian drones were shot down across the country overnight.
Russian Telegram channel Astra reported that one air defense missile exploded about one kilometer from Viskom, a private defense contractor in the Leningrad region's Gatchina specializing in weapons and ammunition production.
In the Belgorod region, Russia’s National Guard said it had shot down a drone allegedly targeting Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov during a meeting with residents. Authorities reported no casualties or damage.
Kyiv has not commented on the reported attacks. Ukraine rarely confirms responsibility for strikes on Russian territory, though it has previously said such operations target military and energy infrastructure supporting Russia’s war effort.
