Click to see the full-size image
On the night of December 11-12, Russia and Ukraine conducted another exchange of strikes. Russian forces launched 80 attack UAVs against Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces struck targets in Russia. According to official reports, Russian air defense destroyed 90 drones during the latter attack. Russia’s main strike was focused on energy infrastructure, particularly in the Odesa region and the city of Pavlohrad. Ukrainian drones struck a major Yaroslavl oil refinery—causing a fire—and targeted a residential building in Tver.
Affected Objects in Ukraine
The Russian attack on the night of December 12 was primarily directed at critical infrastructure. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 64 out of the 80 launched attack UAVs (of the Shahed type) were shot down or suppressed by air defense forces.
The most serious consequences of the attack were in the Odesa region. In Odesa, two substations were hit—one in the Kotovsky district and one in Cheremushky—leading to a partial power outage in the city. Authorities estimate that restoring the city’s electricity supply will take several days, with power expected to be fully restored only by the evening of December 15.
Additionally, a Turkish cargo ship in the port of Chornomorsk (Odesa region) was damaged. According to some reports, the vessel was transporting military cargo.
Another key target of the strikes was the city of Pavlograd in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Russian forces struck industrial, transport, and energy facilities for over six hours. Dozens of explosions were reported; in particular, a state-owned coal mine was attacked, with approximately 18 hits recorded.
Strikes were also recorded in other regions:
Zaporizhzhia region: The V.I. Omelchenko Zaporizhzhia Machine-Building Plant (part of the Motor Sich structure) was hit.
Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions: Reports of explosions and impacts.
Affected Objects in Russia
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed the destruction of 90 Ukrainian UAVs over various regions, including 63 over Bryansk region, 8 over Yaroslavl region, 4 over the Moscow region, and 3 each over Smolensk and Tver regions. The most significant incident was the strike on the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in Yaroslavl, one of the largest in Russia. Ukrainian sources and local Telegram channels disseminated footage of a major fire.
Another serious incident involved a drone strike on a residential apartment building in Tver. According to the acting governor, Igor Rudenya, seven people were injured as a result—six adults and one child. Preliminary reports suggest Tver was attacked by a long-range drone of the “Lyuty” type.
Furthermore, Ukrainian military officials claimed the destruction of two Russian vessels near the coast of the Republic of Kalmykia in the Caspian Sea, which they allege were transporting weapons and military equipment.
Russian experts interacting with air defense units note a significant evolution in the tactics and technical capabilities of Ukrainian drones, necessitating adaptations in countermeasures. The majority of Ukrainian UAVs are now controlled via satellite communication systems, rendering countermeasures based on disabling mobile internet ineffective. The drones are equipped with thermal imaging cameras, allowing them to operate effectively at night, conduct additional reconnaissance of targets, and even detect the positions of mobile fire groups (MFGs).
The UAVs constantly change routes, reducing the effectiveness of pre-positioned ambushes. For acoustic masking, they utilize the noise from highways, “hitching” onto vehicle traffic. A tactic of intentionally flying over populated areas has also been noted, complicating the use of air defense weapons due to the risk to civilians.
To counter attacks by Ukrainian UAVs, experts propose enhancing MFGs with thermal imagers and machine gun mounts on mobile platforms (pickup trucks, lightly armored vehicles), revising rules of engagement to increase responsiveness, and implementing a number of other measures.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
time to blow up some of those bridges across the dnieper.
non lo fanno per far arrivare rifornimenti e soldati ucraini al fronte. i russi non vincono sono disperati non sanno cosa fare vogliono dare sanpietroburgo all’ucraina e odessa agli inglesi e la bielorussia alla svezia. 7
and why are ports in odessa operational
sit on it vanya you won’t be happy when it’s exported to your door sweetheart
it won’t happen overnight but it will happen
le sta prendendo di brutto la russia arrestate lo stato maggiore dell’esercito e della marina militare.
russia is burning…heheheh
how are things in the failed ukrainian cia project?
the pain is only beginning for russia!
go fight, filhos da puta, in ukrajina. van der leyen, vai combater, já! monhé costa, afonso de albuquerque diz que tu nem sequer és monhé, trais tudo por um prato de kaja kallas.