(LONDON) — Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 130 Ukrainian drones on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, in what appears to be among Kyiv’s largest ever long-range strike into Russian territory.
Moscow said that 85 Ukrainian drones were shot down over the southern Russian region of Krasnodar Krai, with 30 more over Crimea. Another eight drones were downed over the Sea of Azov, five over the Black Sea and one each over Bryansk and Kursk regions, the ministry said.
The drones over Krasnodar appeared to mass around the Black Sea port of Tuapse, which sits between the resort city of Sochi and the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk.
Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev said several houses in the Krasnodar Krai region were damaged by drone strikes or falling debris.
Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Counter-Disinformation Center operating as part of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said on Telegram that Russian authorities “reported an attack on the seaport in Tuapse,” which he described as “one of the key cargo ports of the Russian Federation on the Black Sea.”
“There is an oil terminal there — one of the largest in Russia,” Kovalenko added. “Oil and oil products are transported through the port, which makes it important for the Russian energy industry.”
Kovalenko said the port processes significant volumes of coal, mineral fertilizers, metal products and grain, plus serves as a rail and logistics hub for Russia’s central and southern regions.
“The port plays an important role in supporting military logistics,” Kovalenko wrote. “It is used to transport equipment, ammunition and fuel for military needs. It provides logistical support to the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, in particular those involved in the war against Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s air force, meanwhile, reported another night of Russian cross-border attacks on Tuesday night. The air force said Russia fired 177 drones into Ukraine, of which 110 were shot down and 66 were lost in flight.
The air force reported engagements in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad and Sumy regions.
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