UAVs over Russia, blasts in Kursk, Kurchatov, Taganrog, and sabotage near Moscow: weekly recap of attacks on Russia

Drones over Astrakhan, Voronezh, Ryazan and other regions, as well as explosions in Kursk, Kurchatov and Taganrog

• Russia has complained that on the night of Monday, December 2, Ukrainian drones allegedly tried to attack three Russian regions and the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea. They claim that their air defense system destroyed 15 Ukrainian drones that night. 8 UAVs were allegedly destroyed over the territory of Kursk region, four over Bryansk region, one over Belgorod region, and two more over the occupied Crimea.
• On December 4, 24 UAVs targeted six Russian regions. Local residents reported explosions in the Diaghilev area of Ryazan, where a major airbase is situated. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Central Intelligence Department of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, confirmed that the Diaghilev airbase—one of the primary strategic aviation bases for Russia — was struck. Additionally, the port in Novorossiysk, which houses missile launchers used in attacking Ukraine, also came under attack.
• The drones targeted multiple regions across Russia: 6 in the Rostov region, 5 in the Bryansk region, 4 in the Belgorod region, 3 in the Ryazan region, 1 in the Astrakhan region, and 5 in the Krasnodar region.
• Meanwhile, on Wednesday, December 4, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claimed an alleged UAV attack on Grozny, which he attributed to Ukraine. The drone supposedly struck the roof of the Akhmat Kadyrov Special Police Regiment building in the city center. According to the Russian BBC service, the explosion occurred in the courtyard of a building on Staropromyslovoe Highway in central Grozny. The Kadyrov Special Police Regiment's building is located on the opposite side of this structure. There were also reports of injuries resulting from the incident.
• On the night of December 4, the ATESH guerrilla movement carried out a sabotage operation in the suburbs of Moscow. A pro-Ukrainian agent set fire to a relay cabinet near the village of Chekhov, targeting a crucial railway line that connects Moscow with the Kursk region. This sabotage disrupted the supply of fuel and military equipment to Russian forces.
• On the night of Sunday, December 8, Russian air defense systems were active in five regions, reportedly shooting down 46 Ukrainian drones. Explosions were heard in the cities of Kursk and Kurchatov in the Kursk region, as well as in Taganrog in the Rostov region. In the Kursk region, drone attack warnings were issued as early as midnight, followed by warnings of a missile threat. Kursk public media reported on the deployment of air defense forces and equipment.
• According to Russian sources, during that night, their air defense forces intercepted 17 drones over the Belgorod region, 12 over the Kursk region, 6 drones over the Voronezh region, 7 drones over the Rostov region, and 4 more drones over the Astrakhan region.

Explosions in the temporarily occupied Crimea and blocked traffic on the Crimean bridge

On Friday morning, December 6, explosions were heard in Kerch, located in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Russian occupiers blocked traffic on the Crimean Bridge, with authorities announcing the closure at 04:17. The message stated, “Vehicular traffic on the Crimean Bridge is temporarily blocked. Those who are on the bridge and in the inspection area are asked to remain calm and follow the instructions of transport security officers.”

At 06:40, the Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported loud explosions near the Zatoka shipyard in Kerch, along with gunfire in the nearby suburb of Arshintsevo. A few minutes later, the channel, citing subscriber reports, claimed that Ukrainian naval drones were attempting to break through the Kerch Strait. It was reported that “the Z-military is trying to destroy them from the sea, from the shore, and from the air.” No official confirmation from the Ukrainian side was available at the time.

In response, the Russian Ministry of Defence stated at 06:02 that “the crews of the Black Sea Fleet naval aviation destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned boats in the Black Sea, which were heading towards the Crimean peninsula.” Additionally, the Ministry of Defence reported that Russian air defense systems intercepted a drone over the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea on the night of December 6.

Expert opinion

Commenting on the UAV attack on the Russian Special Forces University in Chechnya, Defense Express military expert Ivan Kyrychevskyi said it could be a result of the internal conflict in Russia.

"Given the university's limited importance, even a distillery could be a more relevant target. Other types of drones might have been involved in this attack, possibly linked to internal Russian conflicts. The Wagner Group rebellion has become somewhat routine for them, so we can expect any number of actions from different factions. They seem to believe that if Putin were to leave, there would be internal conflicts, and it appears those conflicts have already begun, even while he remains in power," the expert believes.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukraine had launched mass production of the Palianytsia missile. He called this result a vivid example of how the state and the private sector are uniting to achieve a common goal.

"Private enterprises also demonstrate incredible results. For example, a new startup has implemented the Palianytsia missile project, which has already entered mass production thanks to the support of the Ministry of Defence," Umerov said.