87 Drones Shot Down Over Russia and Crimea

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 87 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over various Russian regions and annexed Crimea between 10:00 p.m. Moscow time on April 4 and 8:00 a.m. Moscow time on April 5, 2026.

The wide-scale drone activity resulted in damage to energy infrastructure, including an oil refinery and transportation facilities, as well as reports of civilian injuries and residential damage across multiple territories.

Impact on Energy Infrastructure

In the Nizhny Novgorod region, where 30 drones were intercepted, regional Governor Gleb Nikitin stated that falling debris set ablaze two facilities at the Kstovo Refinery, which is owned by Lukoil. The attack in this region also caused power outages across two towns after damaging a thermal power plant, along with several garden plots and residential buildings. Local officials reported no deaths or injuries in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Additional strikes targeted the northwestern Leningrad region, where 19 drones were downed. This area serves as a location for major oil export hubs, specifically Primorsk and Usta-Luga. Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko initially reported that debris from a drone damaged an oil pipeline near the port of Primorsk. However, Drozdenko later clarified that the attack resulted in fuel tanks catching fire rather than a pipeline breach, stating that the damage had been dealt with.

Regional Damage and Casualties

The Russian Defense Ministry identified drones being downed over the following regions:

• Belgorod
• Bryansk
• Voronezh
• Nizhny Novgorod
• Kursk
• Oryol
• Tambov
• Kaluga
• Penza
• Ulyanovsk
• Tver
• Leningrad

Further UAVs were destroyed in the airspace over Crimea and Mordovia.

In the Bryansk region, Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz reported that a civilian was injured during an attack on the settlement of Senchury, located in the Suzemsky district.

In the Voronezh region, Governor Aleksandr Gusev reported that debris from a downed drone damaged a gas pipeline, which resulted in a temporary loss of gas supply for 20 households.

Strategic Context

The strikes are part of an ongoing pattern of reciprocal drone and missile attacks between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian officials have justified these operations as retaliation for the full-scale invasion and ongoing occupation of Ukrainian territory.

Reports indicate that Ukraine has increased its targeting of Russian energy infrastructure in recent weeks. This strategy is intended to deprive the Kremlin of financial gains resulting from soaring oil prices.

The port of Primorsk, situated between St. Petersburg and the Finnish border, has been a repeated target of Ukrainian attacks over the past month.