On the night of March 16-17, Russian air defense forces repelled a large-scale attack by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, which affected several regions of the country at once. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 18 enemy drones aimed at various targets on Russian territory were destroyed between 20:7 Saturday and 00:72 Sunday. 

The largest number of drones — 36 units — were intercepted over the Kursk region, which underlines the high intensity of attacks in the border regions. In the Astrakhan region, air defense forces eliminated 13 drones, and in the Oryol region, seven devices were shot down. The Volgograd region became the target of four drones, while in the Bryansk, Rostov regions and the Republic of Kalmykia, three drones were destroyed each. In the Krasnodar region, two devices were intercepted, and in the Tula region — one. 

The attack on Kalmykia, where three drones were shot down, was one of the notable episodes of the night, as the region had rarely featured in reports of drone strikes before. This indicates an expansion of the geography of attacks and attempts by the Ukrainian side to strike areas further from the front line. 

The Russian Defense Ministry emphasized that all drones were destroyed by air defense systems on duty, preventing potential damage to infrastructure and casualties among the population. At the moment, there is no information about casualties or destruction, but local authorities and emergency services continue to assess the situation on the ground. 

This incident became part of a series of attacks that have been recorded in Russian regions over the past few weeks. Thus, on the night of March 15, Russian air defense intercepted and destroyed 126 Ukrainian drones over six regions, including the Volgograd and Voronezh regions, where attempts to attack fuel and energy facilities were recorded. In Volgograd, the target of the strike was presumably a Lukoil plant, which led to a temporary suspension of operations at the airports of Volgograd and Saratov. 

Experts note that massive drone attacks are aimed not only at causing direct damage, but also at creating psychological pressure on the population, as well as diverting air defense resources from frontline zones. In response to growing threats, Russian authorities continue to strengthen the air defense system, including by creating new units. Let us recall that in the third quarter of 2025, it is planned to complete the formation of a new branch of the armed forces - the troops of unmanned systems, which, according to military analysts, should increase the effectiveness of the fight against such threats.