Moscow, Russia – The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday, December 25, 2025, that its air defense systems had intercepted a large-scale Ukrainian attack using fixed-wing drones. The ministry stated that the attack targeted several Russian regions and the Crimean Peninsula. The defense systems achieved a record number of interceptions, shooting down 141 drones in a single night.
The outcome of a night of aerial counter-offensive
According to the official statement issued by the ministry, the interception operations extended from 11:00 PM (December 24) until 7:00 AM Moscow time.
62 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Bryansk, and 12, 11 and 9 drones were destroyed over Tula, Kaluga and Moscow.
In the south and the Sea of Azov, eight drones were shot down in Adygea, seven in Krasnodar, and six each in Crimea and the Rostov region. Additionally, six drones were shot down over the waters of the Sea of Azov.
Five marches were also shot down in Belgorod and Voronezh, four in Kursk, and one in Volgograd.
Destruction of command centers and targeting of oil facilities
On the ground, the military report confirmed the success of the Russian armed forces in destroying a Ukrainian army drone control center. This destruction took place in the direction of Seversky.
In a related development, the Krasnodar Territory Emergency Response Team reported a fire at two oil storage tanks in the port of Temryuk. This was caused by a drone strike. The team confirmed that the situation was under control and that there were no casualties.
Russian strategy in response
The Russian Ministry of Defense emphasized in its statement that its forces continue to target exclusively Ukrainian military installations and military-industrial complex facilities. This is being done using high-precision weapons (air, sea, and land). This is in response to what it described as Ukrainian forces targeting civilian infrastructure on Russian territory.
