Reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense indicate that in the night of March 12, Russian air defense systems intercepted 25 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles across seven regions. The ministry lists the Moscow region with two drones, the Leningrad region with one, Kursk with eleven, and Belgorod with seven. The Oryol region saw two more drones down, while the Bryansk and Tula regions each confirmed one UAV destroyed.
The Ramensky district near Moscow saw a drone shot down as it advanced toward the capital, with Mayor Sergei Sobyanin noting there was no damage or casualties from debris. In the Leningrad region, authorities reported the destruction of a drone near Kirishi, roughly 110 kilometers from St. Petersburg by straight-line distance.
In Kursk, local officials described drones brought down in Fatezhsky, Kursk, Zolotukhinsky, Solntsevsky and Ponyrovsky districts. A missile alert was issued and air defenses activated; Governor Roman Starovoit praised the work of air defense personnel.
In the Tula region, there were no reported infrastructure damages or casualties, according to the regional security ministry. In Voronezh, authorities also confirmed a downed UAV, though this area is not echoed in every official report. Preliminary information suggests no field damage, and Governor Alexander Gusesv stated he would keep the region under close observation.
Attacks on fuel and energy facilities
Oil depots in the Oryol and Nizhny Novgorod regions caught fire following a drone attack. A drone struck a fuel and energy complex in Oryol, as reported by Governor Andrey Klychkov. No injuries were reported, but a tank containing petroleum products ignited. Witnesses described smoke over the area near the depot close to Afanasyevsky cemetery. Special services worked at the scene to control the fire, and the affected area reached about 100 square meters after several hours. Seventeen residents were evacuated from nearby homes. The region’s response included deployment of emergency teams and firefighting equipment.
In Nizhny Novgorod, another drone target affected the industrial zone of Kstovo, where residents reported hearing a loud hum followed by an explosion near dawn. Preliminary data from regional authorities note no casualties and ongoing efforts to localize the fire at one refinery facility. Firefighting trains assisted the response, and Governor Gleb Nikitin confirmed the situation was being actively managed with available resources.
Drones and missiles
Belgorod region reported that a UAV dropped four explosives and damaged a power line, leaving several villages without electricity. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed a regional missile alert and noted damage in communities including Yasnye Zori, Cheremoshnoye, Lozovoye, Ustinka, Rovenek, Solovyovka and Petrovka. In Shebekinsky district, multiple settlements faced attacks, with windows broken in Shebekino and power lines damaged in Novaya Tavolzhanka. The Ministry of Defense added that air defense intercepted a Tochka-U missile and eight Vampire MLRS shells over Belgorod.
Governor Gladkov later reported five air targets hit in the Belgorod region and four downed UAVs in the Borisov region. In Borisovka, a private home’s windows were shattered and a school stadium’s road surface damaged; in Dubino, additional structural damage was noted. A local resident sustained a hand injury and was transported to hospital. A nearby news outlet cited initial casualty information from residents.
Attack by saboteurs
The morning of March 12 saw reports from Russian military services about an attempted incursion by Ukrainian DRGs toward Belgorod and Kursk. Observers associated with WarGonzo described groups around fifty people moving in with pickup trucks, mortar and artillery support. Reports from Voenkor suggested approaching enemy tanks offering fire as the confrontation began. Kursk region residents also described clashes in Tetkino, with local channels noting injuries among residents and ongoing uncertainty about the official status of the situation. Ukrainian sources reference the activities of the “Russian Volunteer Corps,” the “Freedom of Russia” legion, and the “Siberian Battalion” in operations across the border; Strana.ua claimed Russia’s Freedom Legion had joined to regain ground centimeter by centimeter. WarGonzo reported that the enemy was redirected to positions defended by long-range weapons in Belgorod, while VGTRK’s Andrei Rudenko confirmed some enemy elements were destroyed or repelled in the Tetkino area.
These reports are being tracked by regional authorities and independent outlets, with authorities emphasizing the evolving security situation along the border and the need for continued vigilance and rapid response across affected districts. [Source attribution: Russian Ministry of Defense; regional governors and local media.